together with a capsule and seed. With these our specimens have been carefully compared, and we have no 
doubt in considering them as the same plant, to which Plumier gave the name of “ Bermudiana amplissimo folio.” 
Upwards of a century after the death of Plumier, dried specimens of this plant were brought to the 
Imperial Garden at Schonbrunn, and were figured by Jacquin, in his Mragmenta (tah. 63, fig. 4, and again, 
tab. 69,) under the names Maranta Casupo and Maranta Cachibou, being only a different pronunciation of the 
same appellation ; but these figures throw little more light on the subject than those of Plumier, the condition in 
which he found the flowers being such as not to enable him to define the essential parts of their fructification. 
“ Hos corrugatos,” says he, “ valde teneros, cum genctalibus confusis, non potui ullo artificio explicare, astant etiam 
duo semina.” From which latter circumstance we may however conclude, that it could not have been a Maranta, 
the character of which is a berry-like capsule, with a single seed. 
It was in the extensive collection of Sir J. E. Smith, P.L.S. at Norwich, in the month of November 1823, 
that I had first the pleasure of observing native specimens of the spikes of the present plant, and of 
examining them with all the advantages derived from the experience and judgment of that distinguished 
botanist ; but although we made numerous attempts to unfold the dried flowers by immersion, &c. we 
were compelled to assent to the statement of Jacquin, and to acknowledge, that the parts were so intermingled 
and shrivelled, as to render their separation impracticable. Our labour was however, in some degree repaid, 
by our discovering that each capsule contained three oblong seeds, resembling that given by Plumier, thereby 
‘confirming us in the idea that this plant could not properly be referred to the genus Maranta. 
In the month of August 1824, we received at the Botanic Garden in Liverpool, from Charles S. Parker, Esq. 
then on a visit to the island of Trinidad, the floral branch and leaves of the present plant, with the 
intire spike and capsules of the same, each capsule containing three seeds. These were accompanied by 
specimens of the flowers preserved in spirits, which, being carefully expanded and examined, displayed the 
parts of fructification in the most perfect state, and exhibited indisputable proofs of its exact accordance in 
every respect with the genus Phrynium, as established by Willdenow upon the Phrynium Capitatum, the proper 
type of the genus, and confirmed by many other species given in the present work. 
REFERENCES. 
The small figure of the intire plant, is a reduced copy from the drawing of Plumier, exhibiting 
its general habit and mode of inflorescence ; our specimen containing only the upper or 
flowering branch. 
— 
. Outer bracte, biflorous. 
2. Opposite angular winged bracte. 
3. exterior and winged bractes, in position. 
4. Pair of interior floral bractes to each flower. 
5. Erect, ligneous spatulate bracte, between the two flowers. 
6. Calyx and intire flower. 
- Upper and lower lip of interior limb of corolla, with the anther, style and stigma. 
8. Anther, style and stigma, after impregnation. 
9. Anther, as attached to the filament. 
10. Style and stigma detached. 
The three last figures slightly magnified. 
11. Seed vessel. 
12. Ditto opened, and showing the three cells, 
13. Seed. 
14. Section of the seed. 
