allied to the Natural Order Burmanniacese. 541 



placentae, each formed of a bundle of descending vessels, the only lon- 

 gitudinal fibres to be seen in the whole structure. Style a short tri- 

 gonous, trisulcate column, arising out of the convex six-grooved free 

 summit of the ovarium, having its angles as well as the stigmata con- 

 tinuous with the placentary lines, and opposite to the petals. Stigmata 

 three, sigmoid, divaricate, short, each terminated by a sort of cup with 

 its margin compressed on three sides, leaving only three open points 

 at the angles, appearing like as many glandular dots, in which is seen 

 the thick viscous fluid with which the cup is filled : they wither with 

 the flower, but the style is always persistent. Capsule rather ovate, 

 double the size of the ovarium when the flower first expands, yellowish 

 white, nerveless, three-valved, bursting by laceration of the membranes, 

 each valve submembranaceous, showing in its centre the elastic horny 

 placenta crowned by a portion of the style. Seeds very numerous, filling 

 the whole cavity of the capsule, and densely radiating in close series 

 round the placentations, very minute, scobiform, similar to those of 

 some Orchidece. Testa oblong, somewhat curved, truncated at the base, 

 swelling a little in the middle, and tapering much towards the apex, 

 consisting of an exceedingly thin transparent membrane, composed of 

 long, rhomboidal or hexagonal cells, of which the partitions are strong 

 and very prominent, and the intervening membrane is transparent and 

 colourless : it presents in its centre a much smaller pyriform nucleus, 

 which is opake, and seemingly free within the testa, inverted, and 

 suspended by a compressed cord from the apex of the latter ; the end 

 pointing towards the hilum is contracted into a sort of nipple. 



This species was found by me, at the period already stated, in the woody 

 range of the Corcovado Mountain in the vicinity of Rio de Janeiro, at an 

 elevation of nearly 2000 feet above the level of the sea, growing upon decaying 

 timber, particularly on the decayed roots of palms. 



2. D. umhellata, caule erecto simplicissimo, foliis erecto-patulis, umbella 

 simplici 6 — 9-flora, floribus erectis, pedicellis basi bracteatis, ovario 

 ecostato. Tab. XXXVII. fig. 2. 



Plant similar in habit to the former species, but smaller. The root is more 



4b 2 



