Argostemma. pentandria monogynia. 825 



Root consisting of short, capillary fibres. — Stem simple, slender, 

 round, pubescent, succulent, pallid, from four to five inches ioi-g, 

 creeping al the base and sending forth one or two pahs ot %tiy 

 loig filiform runners ; each having a few remote pairs of ovate scales, 

 sometimes v\.th a verticil of small leaves; the upper part of the stem 

 eiect, naked, except at the apex — Leaves four, sub-sessile, spread. 

 in**, disposed at the upper end of the stem in two most approximate, 

 decussate pairs, so as io appear verticilled ; they are of an oval form, 

 obtuse, with unequal sides, and entire, gently waved margins ; 

 unequal in size, one of the pair being twice as large as the other, 

 and those of t.ie upp-imost pair smaller than those below, from 

 one to three inches long, base rounded, or somewhat acute ; membran- 

 ous, a little pubescent on both sides ; lucid above, whitish and silvery 

 underneath, with a thick, convex, villous rib and oblique nerves.— 

 Letiol very short, stem-clasping. Stipules none. — Flowers snow- 

 white, scentless, from eight to ten, disposed in a terminal umbel 

 or corymbiform raceme, on longislr, clavate, fleshy peduncles, sup- 

 ported by ovate, enure or notched biactes, half their own length. 

 Calyx very small, concave, pubescent, divided into four ovate, acute, 

 teeth. — Corolla five times larger than the calyx, flat, spreading, 

 deeply divided into four lance late, acute segments, alternating with 

 the teeth of the calyx, greenish towards the base. — Tube scarcely 

 any. — Filuments very short, inserted in the throat, alternating with 

 the lac niae, bent downwards and towards one-side. Anthers long, 

 erect, conniving, acuminate, bui sting along the margins. — Ovary un- 

 derneath, a little hairy, globular, small, two-celled, ovula numerous, 

 inserted on two septal placentae. Style as long as the stamina, a lit- 

 tle bent at the base. Stigma fleshy, convex. 



06s. I have not seen the ripe fruit of this or of the next spscies. 

 It is to be remarked that the parts of the. flowers, never exceed five, 

 though I have observed them sometimes to be ternary. — N. \V. 



2. A. verticillatum, Wall, 



Pubescent, erect, cespitose. Leaves four, verticilled, linear* 



