34 Mr. J. Miers on the genus Leptoglossis. 



derably by the broad decurrent wings of the stigma, which hood 

 the anthers of the somewhat shorter pair of stamens : the stigma 

 is broad, membranaceous, deeply emarginate at its apex, consti- 

 tuting two distinct rounded wings, marked by numerous radia- 

 ting nervures ; it forms altogether a galeate head, flattened on the 

 under side and keeled on the upper surface by the prominent 

 sharp margin of the style, which carinated edge is terminated in 

 the sinus by a viscous globular gland. The capsule is small, 

 consisting of two bifid valves, parallel to the dissepiment, and 

 inclosed by the persistent calyx. I had no opportunity of exa- 

 mining its seeds *. 



Leptoglossis. 



This genus was founded by Mr. Bentham, in the 'Botany' of 

 the Voyage of the Sulphur, for a Peruvian plant, which has not 

 yet been figured, nor have the details of its structure been 

 hitherto delineated or minutely examined. It possesses much 

 the habit of a Browallia, to which it offers some resemblance 

 in the form of its corolla; but it differs from that genus in 

 having a fifth sterile stamen and in the shape of its stigma, 

 which is intermediate between that of Pteroglossis and of Salpi- 

 glossis or Nierembergia. No opportunity had presented itself for 

 examining the aestivation of the corolla of Leptoglossis when I 

 offered the remarks upon the tribe of the Salpiglossidea (Ann. 

 Nat. Hist. 2nd Ser. iii. 173) ; but recent observation has enabled 

 me to state that it is decidedly imbricative, and as far as can be 

 judged from well -macerated dried specimens, it is apparently of 

 that modification which I have called replicative {loc. cit. 173), 

 the postical lobe being altogether interior, as in Nierembergia 

 and Petunia. The alliance of Leptoglossis is clearly with the two 

 latter genera, agreeing with the former in its small lanceolate 

 leaves, its calyx, its slender tubular corolla, in the dilatation of 

 its stigma, in the long stipitate support of the ovarium, in its 

 persistent hypogynous glands, and in its stipitate capsule. With 

 the latter genus it agrees in the obliquity of the border of its 

 corolla, and the somewhat palate-like enlargement of the tube 

 below the throat. The position of Leptoglossis is manifestly 

 among the PetuniecBj and not in the Salpiglossidea, as suggested 

 in the tabular arrangement (loc. cit. p. 165). It appears to me 

 to hold no relation whatever to Schwenkia. 



The following generic character has been made, after a careful 

 analysis of the plant referred to : — 



Leptoglossis, Bth.nonD.C. Char, emend. — Calyx brevis, tu- 

 bulosus, nervis 15 in seriebus 5 ternariis pressius ordinatis, 



* This plant, with its analytical details, will be shown in plate 52 of the 

 1 Illustr. South Amer. Plants.' 



