lanceolate distant scales, which are searious on the margin. Spikes six to twelve in 

 a terminal spreading umbel, at first conspicuously scorpioid, and graduallv unfolding 

 from the base upwards. Tlie peduncles are aboul hail' an inch Ii> ni >-, and the ovate 

 bracts at their base form an involucrum. Flowers closely imbricated, on short 



left of the axis; they are nearly orbicular, emaririnalr. undulate on the margin, 

 obscurely veined, and of a pale rose-color, except the broad green midrib. Petals 

 four, obovate, rose-color, much shorter than the calyx, two of them nearly oppo- 

 site the sepals, the others alternate with them, gelatinous-colliquescent after 

 flowering, as in many other Portulacaceap, and in a withered state, remaining 

 attached to the summit of the young fruit like an indusium. The stamens are 

 constantly but three, and are inserted opposite three of the petals ; the fourth 

 (belonging to a lateral petal) wanting : filaments longer than the petals: anthers 

 ovate, fixed by the middle, two-celled, opening longitndinallv. The ovary is 

 globose-ovoid, much compressed, one-celled, and contains from eight to ten ovules, 

 on conspicuous stalks, which arise from a basilar placenta. Style slender, as 

 long as the stamens, undivided ; the stigma minute and three-lobed. Capsule 

 membranaceous, much compressed, two-valved ; the valves parallel with the 

 persistent sepals. Seeds lenticular, black and shining, with a crustaceous testa. 

 Embryo hippocrepiform, embracing mealy albumen. 



This remarkable plant undoubtedly belongs to the family of the Portulacaceae ; 

 and, judging from the description, it seems to be a near ally of the Chilian genus 

 Monocosmia of Fenzl. In the latter, however, there is but a single stamen ; the 

 ovules are only from two to four in number ; the style is very short as well as 

 two-cleft, and the habit is different. 



I have dedicated this genus to Mr. Isaac Sprague, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 

 so well known as a botanical draughtsman, and especially for the admirable 

 illustrations of the Genera of the Plants of the United States, by himself and 

 Dr. Gray. 



FREMONTIA. Nov. Gen. 



Calyx basi tribracteatus, patenti-campanulatus, quinque-partitus, subpetaloideus 

 basi foveolatus aestivatione quincuncialis. Corolla nulla. Stamina quinque : fila- 

 menta vix ad medium monadelpha : antheras oblongo-lineares, biloculares, suban- 

 fraetuosse, extrorsae; loculis longitudinaliter dehiscentibus. Ovarium quadri- 

 quinque-loculare : ovula in loculis plurima, biseriatim inserta, horizontalia, 

 anatropa : stylus filiformis, subincurvus : stigma indivisum, acutiusculum. Capsula* 



* Just as this memoir was sent to press I received from the Rev. Mr. A. Fitch a collection of plants which 

 he obtained while acting a- ia. In his extel sire travels through that country he 



availed himself of favorable opportunities of collecting botanical specimens, which from time to time he 

 placed at my disposal. In the last parcel, which he brought home himself; I was greatly pleased to find 

 the Fremontia. I am now able to describe the fruit of this rare plant, but unfortunately the only capsule 

 that was received had shed its seeds, the characters of which I have given from the verbal description 

 of Mr. Fitch. 



