Mr. J. Miers on the genus Nicandra. 139 



minent annular ring, and the style and stigma do not exceed the 

 extremity of the corona*. 



Nicandra. 



This genus of Adanson, on account of its augescent vesicular 

 calyx, has been placed near Physalis, but it exhibits much dissi- 

 milarity in its habit, in the blue colour and aestivation of its large 

 bell-shaped flowers, and in the structure of its fruit. There is 

 only one recorded species, well known to our gardens, the old 

 Atropa physaloides, Linn., which is manifestly related to Atropa 

 and Anisodus on account of the form and imbricate aestivation of 

 its corolla and the nature of its fruit ; it differs however from both 

 these genera in the very peculiar character of its calyx, in which 

 respect it approaches Juanulloa, but it does not correspond with 

 that genus either in its habit, the structure of its corolla, or the 

 form of its embryo. It therefore takes its position in the tribe 

 Atropece (Ann. Nat. Hist. 2nd Ser. ii. 166), and I annex an 

 emended character in conformity with my own observations 

 made upon the living plant. 



Nicandra, Adans. Char, emend. — Calyx magnus, 5-partitus, 

 laciniis sagittato-cordatis, acutis, erectis, longitudinaliter re- 

 plicatis, marginibus infra medium valvatim conniventibus, hinc 

 pseudo-alatis, angulis basalibus in calcaria 5 uncinata acutis- 

 sima productis, persistens et augescens. Corolla magna, cam- 

 panulata, limbo brevi 5-partito, lobis latis, rotundatis, patenti- 

 reflexis, sestivatione imbricata. Stamina 5, sequalia, erecta, 

 corollse triplo breviora, filamenta basi tubi e glandulis totidem 

 trigonis utrinque auriculatis lanato-tomentosis orta, hinc for- 

 nicata, erecta, et incurvata; antherce ovatae, 2-loculares, imo 

 cordataB, in sinu apicifixae, loculis parallele connatis, rima 

 marginali longitudinaliter dehiscentibus. Ovarium obovatum, 

 disco carnoso crenulato insidens, 5-loculare, ovulis plurimis, 

 placentis incrassatis axi adnatis. Stylus brevis, longitudine 

 staminum. Stigma quinquelobum, lobis obtusis, glanduloso- 

 papillosis, in capitulum aggregatis. Bacca subsicca, sphserica, 

 calyce globoso, membranaceo, valde reticulato, aucto, 5-gono 

 inclusa, 3-5-locularis, pericarpio tenuissimo fragili irregulariter 

 rumpente. Semina plurima, reniformia, hilo in sinu laterali ; 

 testa scrobiculato-favosa. Embryo teres, intra albumen car- 

 nosum spiraliter arcuatus, cotyledonibus semiteretibus, radicula 

 angulo basali spectante, hiloque evitante, duplo brevioribus. — 

 Herba suffrutescens Peruana, caulibus plurimis, ramosis, deci- 

 duis ; foliis alternis, superioribus geminis, oblongis, acutis, sinu- 



* A representation of this species, with sectional details, will be given in 

 plate 40 of the ' Must. South Amer. Plants.' 



