to the base into five valves. Only two or throe seeds ripen in each cell ; and 

 these are smooth, resembling those of the Ochra. 



This genus is a near ally of the celebrated Cheirostemon of Humboldt, the 

 Hand-tree of Mexico. The latter differs, however, in the form and texture of the 

 calyx, the lobes of which are deciduous ; in the much longer stamineal column and 

 secund mucronate free portion of the filaments ; in the straight parallel anther- 

 cells, and in some other characters of less importance. 



The genus Cheirostemon has long been regarded as an anomalous member of 

 the order Bombacese, which by many botanists is reduced to a tribe of Sterculiaccae. 

 It differs, as docs also Fremontia, from the rest of the tribe in the apetalous 

 flowers, imbricated calyx, and definite stamens ; characters which, in this family, 

 are of sufficient value to constitute a distinct division, which may be called 

 Fremontie,e. The genus Ochroma of Swartz, another anomalous Bombacea, 

 has some resemblance to Cheirostemon, as Kunth noticed many years ago, espe- 

 cially in its five-lobed stamineal crown and in the subimbricated calyx ; but in most 

 other respects it resembles its congeners. 



Those Bombaceae which have the stamineal tube five-cleft at the summit, with 

 each segment bearing two anthers, may be regarded as composed of ten stamens, 

 the filaments of which are monadelphous below and pentadelphous above ; the 

 upper portions of the filaments being united in pairs, with (usually) one-celled 

 anthers. This view may be taken of Fremontia as well as of Cheirostemon. 



In my memoir on Batis, published in the present volume, I have given the reason 

 for relinquishing the former genus Fremontia, and my intention of bestowing the 

 name on a new plant from California, first detected by the distinguished traveller 

 himself, whose valuable services to North American Botany it is thus intended to 

 commemorate. 



LIBOCEDRUS. Endl. 



Libocedrits Endl. Synops. Conif. p. 42 ; Gen. PI. Suppl. IV. pars 2, No. 1794. 

 Thuy^e species auct. 



LIBOCEDRUS DECURRENS. Tab. III. 



L. ramulis compressis subancipitis ; foliis late ovatis breviter acuminatis apice 

 serrulatis longe decurrentibus, lateralibus carinatis, facialibus planis; strobilis 

 ovato-oblongis erectis ; squamis infra apicem spina tuberculiformi recurva auctis, 

 superioribus multo majoribus ; seminibus bialatis, ala altera maxima. 



Hab. — Upper waters of the Sacramento, particularly from lat. 38° 40' to about 

 41° N. lat., where it was also found (without fruit) by the botanists of the United 

 States Exploring Expedition, and by Dr. G. W. Hulse. 



A noble tree, sometimes attaining a height of 120 or even 140 feet; and a trunk 

 of seven feet in diameter is not uncommon. It rises from 80 to 100 feet without a 



