140 Mr. J. Miers on the genus Nicandra. 



ato-incisis, in petiolum longum decurrentibus, glaberrimis ; flori- 

 bus pedunculatis, solitariis, extra-axillaribus, cernuis, pedunculo 

 fructifero elongato, erecto, apice recurvo. 



1. Nicandra physahides, Gaertn. ii. 237. tab. 131 ; Bot. Mag. 

 2458. Atropa physaloides, Linn. ; Jacq. Obs. iv. tab. 98. Phy- 

 salis daturaefolia, Lam. Ency. ii. 102. Calydermos erosus, 

 R. % P. ii. 44. Alkekengi, Feuille, Obs. 724. tab. 1 6.— Planta 

 omnino glabra, radice fibrosa, perennante ; caulibus frondosis, 

 ramosissimis, annuis ; foliis glabris, oblongis, acutis, sinuato- 

 incisis, in petiolum longum decurrentibus ; calyce reticulata, 

 nitido, aucto ; corolla magna, azurea, campanulata, fundo al- 

 bido, maculi3 5 obscure cseruleis notata. — Peruvia, v. v. 



This plant is well known in most tropical countries, where it 

 has become almost indigenous ; it is cultivated in the open air in 

 Kew Gardens, from which source an ample opportunity has been 

 afforded of examining its structure in a living state. It grows 

 there to the height of about 5 feet ; in warmer climates it attains 

 a height of 6 or 8 feet ; its leaves are oblong, irregularly inciso- 

 sinuate on the margin, with an acute summit, cuneate at base, 

 and decurrent on the channeled petiole ; they are about 6J inches 

 long, upon a petiole of 1^ inch, are about 4 inches broad, and 

 quite glabrous. The peduncle is pendent, about J inch in flower, 

 growing to a length of 1^ inch in fruit, when it becomes erect 

 and suddenly denexed at its thickened apex : the calyx is 9 lines 

 long from its base to the point of its segments, or 1 inch long 

 including its basal lobes; the segments are erect, with their 

 margins undulated and connivent with the adjoining ones for 

 their lower half, salient, producing the appearance as if it were 

 5-winged ; in fruit it preserves the same form, becoming almost 

 globular and vesicular, and of very reticulated texture, with the 

 points of its segments conniving and wholly concealing the berry. 

 The corolla is about twice the length of the calyx, broadly cam- 

 panular, swelling gradually upwards from its middle ; the lobes 

 of the border are rounded, somewhat erect and overlapping each 

 other at the base, and suddenly revolute towards their apex, which 

 is very obtuse, with a slight emarginature on each side of a short 

 central point ; the stamens are scarcely one-third of the length 

 of the corolla, arising from as many glands adnate to the base of 

 the tube, forming a kind of fornix about the ovarium, and clothed 

 with densely woolly brachiate hairs ; the filaments above are quite 

 smooth, erect, and incurved at the apex ; the style is short, erect, 

 surmounted by a large, globular, woolly or papillose stigma, com- 

 posed of five segments closely connivent ; the ovarium is seated 

 upon a small crenulated yellow gland. The berry is quite glo- 

 bular, about 8 lines in diameter, with three to five cells of unequal 



