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XXIV. On Fissicalyx and Prioria, ttoo recently j^uhlislied Genera o/" Leguminosee. 

 By Geoege Bentham, Esq., Fres.L.S. 



Eead June 20th, 1861. 



1. FissicALTX Fbndleei, Bentli. 



vV'HEiN I gave tlie characters of this remarkable species, forming a very distinct genus of 

 Dalbergiese, in a recent Part of the Journal of the Society's Proceedings (vol. v. p. 78), I 

 stated that the loose fruits distributed with the specimens were those of a Giiaiacum. In 

 this I was misled by the fruits of the Guaiaciim arhoreum, distributed in the same set, 

 having been accidentally exchanged with them in my parcel. I have now ascertained 

 that the loose fruits generally sent with the Fissicalyx really belong to it, and confirm 

 the very distinct character of the genus. Not only are the calyx and anthers exceptional 

 among Dalbergiea?, but the broad wings do not, as is usually the case in that tribe, and 

 in other 1- or 2-winged legumes, arise from the sutures, but from the centre of the 

 valves themselves, like the secondary wings in the 4-winged Loti and Clitorice, or in 

 Fsoplwcarpus, Tetrapleiira, Gognehina, and other ^-winged Leguminosse. Here, lioweA'er, 

 the sutures are not at all dilated, and the legume has only the secondary wings, the 

 cavity of the pod remains very narrow for its length, and the single seed in the one I 

 opened had linear cotyledons, of which one was longer than the other and hooked over 

 it at the extremity. The embryo is perfectly straight, as in Csesalpiniefe ; but that is the 

 case in several Dalbergiea3. 



The following is the technical character of the genus, with tlie description of the 

 species, as completed by that of the fruit. 



Elssicaltx, Bentli. 



Char. Gen. — Calycis tubus turbinatus ; limbus acuminatus, integer v. apice brevissime bidentatus, per 

 anthesin hinc fissus, spathaceus. Petala ad apicem tubi cum staminibus inserta, papilionacea. 

 Vexillum ovatum. Alee eo vix breviores, oblique oblongas. Carhice petala subslmilia, paullo minora, 

 libera. Stamina 10, monadelpha, vagina supra fissa. Antherce versatiles, apice biporosae. Ovarium 

 breviter stipitatum, biovulatum. Stylus filiformis, apice minute stigmatosus. Legumen cum alis 

 planum, ovali-ellipticum, ipsum tamen angustum, suturis parum prominulis, valvulis medio longi- 

 tudinaliter late alatis. Semen unicum, prope apicem affixum, oblongo-lineare. Albumen 0. Testa 

 tenuis, hilo parvo. Embryo rectus, radicula brevi supera, cotyledonibus linearibus. 



Species unica, P. Pendleri, Benth. Arbor. Polia imparipinnata. Poliola (11) opposita, 

 exstipellata, petiolulata, inferiora ovata, superiora oblonga, acuminata, 3-^-pollicaria, 

 basi rotundata v. subcordata, glabra, membranacca. Panicula terminalis, molliter 

 pubescens. Bractese stipulares, ad basin ramulorum parva3, sub floribus minutte. 

 Plores conferti. Pedicelli ad singulas bracteas solitarii v. gemini, vix lineam longi. 

 Bracteolse parvsE, acutse, persistentes. Calyx semipollicaris, pubescens, subfoliaceus, 



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