Mr. J. Miers on the genera Hyoscyamus and Physochlsena. 469 



alterna, dentata, vel sinuato-angulata, fioralibus sape geminis ; 

 flores axillares, solitarii, secundi; corolla lutescens, sape reti- 

 culatim picta*. 



Hyoscyamus pictus, Bernh.MSS.; — viscido-pilosus,foliis ellipticis, 

 acutis, sub-3-lobis, infra medium ssepe repandis, vel sinuatis, 

 subamplexicaulibus, rachi, nervis, margineque lanato-pilosis; 

 flore breviter pedunculato, caule, pedunculo, calyceque pun- 

 gente imo ventricoso lanato-pilosis, corolla ventricosa, glabra, 

 sulphurea, venis violaceis reticulatim picta, ad ventrem sub- 

 fissa, intus imo maculis magnis 5 violaceis ornata, limbi lobis 

 subsequalibus obtusis, filamentis luteis, antheris violaceis in- 

 clusis. — v. v. cult. 



Physochl^ena. 



The plants composing this small group were for a long time 

 considered as species of Hyoscyamus. Mr. G. Don (Diet. iv. 470) 

 was the first to separate them as a distinct genus, on account of 

 their entire leaves and their terminal corymbose purple flowers, 

 but as in his generic character no feature appeared to indicate 

 any difference from Hyoscyamus, either in the structure of the 

 flower or the fruit, they have been retained in this latter genus by 

 all succeeding botanists. M. Decaisne in describing an Indian 

 species perceived the difference of its habit from that of Hyoscy- 

 amus, and adopted it as the type of a new genus, under the name 

 of Belenia, but this suggestion has in like manner been disre- 

 garded. I have noticed however the following circumstances 

 that seem to warrant the restoration of this genus. In Physo- 

 chlcena the apical gland is proportionally much smaller and far less 

 conspicuous than in Hyoscyamus, for the ovarium being more 

 conical, it covers only the extreme upper portion beneath the 

 base of the style, and is distinguishable from the rest of its sur- 

 face by its lurid purple colour : it offers also a larger and more 

 conspicuous hypogynous, fleshy, yellow disc, which is sometimes 

 scarcely discernible in the other genus. Besides these points of 

 variance, and the dissimilarity in habit, as well as in the colour of 

 its corolla, the following differences are evident. In Hyoscyamus 

 the flowers are always axillary, nearly sessile at the base of a large 

 leaf, and generally secund ; the calyx increases very considerably 

 in length, becomes stiff and rigid, and its teeth, conspicuous for 

 their strong marginal nerves, ending in a long mucronate point, 

 become hard and spiculate, and are always somewhat spreading ; 

 the operculum is convex, nearly hemispherical, and of a bony 

 consistence. In Physochkena, on the contrary, the flowers are 

 never axillary, but always upon a more or less lengthened ter- 



* Analytical details of this genus will be given in a supplementary plate 

 in the 2nd vol. of the ' Illustr. South Amer. Plants.' 



