984 
This genus, together with Lechidium 
(nob.) Teniostema (nob.) and Heterome- 
ris approach very near to Portulacee, in 
whose vicinity the Cistacee should be 
classed in a Natural Arrangement of Plants. 
The systematic Botanists will, no doubt, 
consider such an opinion as a great heresy, 
and avail themselves of the supposed dif- 
need but cite the Claytonie and the genus 
Cistanthe, nob.) have stamens as strictly 
ypogynous as any Cistacee, There are, 
I believe, no other constant differential 
characters between Cistacee and Portula- 
cec, than those found in the conformation 
of the anthers and of the ovules; the an- 
thers of Cistacee being always adnate or 
innate, whereas, in Portulacee, théy are 
incumbent. The ovules and seeds of nearly 
all Cistacee are orthotropous (the embryo 
consequently antitropous) or in a few cases 
anatropous,! but in Portulacee these same 
organs are constantly campylotropous. 
Concerning Cistacee, this statement rests 
upon a careful examination of nearly all 
the species; but as to Portulacee, it is 
founded rather upon the descriptions of 
various authors than upon my own obser- 
vations. 
Besides the two new species to be here- 
after described, the generic character, as I 
have stated it above, applies also to Lechea 
villosa (Elliott) and Lechea thymifolia, 
(Mich.) 
LECHEA DRUMMONDII. (nob.) 
. Drummondii, suffruticosa, surculis 
radicalibus filiformibus procumbentibus 
pilosis, caulibus erectis virgatis appresso- 
puberulis, apice paniculatis, foliis (surcu- 
lorum) verticillatis ternis quaternisve breve 
petiolatis ovatis v. ellipticis acuminulatis 
ciliatis reticulato-venosis utrinque glabris 
! In these cases, the primina projects beyond the 
ovulam is really attached 
a. 
DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW CISTACE E. 
brevibus ebracteolatis, sepalis interioribu 
mucronatis capsula ellipsoidea trigona 
fra medium evalvi paulo brevioribus, - 
Root perpendicular, subligneous, a 
l 
branchlets ternate or quaternato-verticil- — 
with white, short, somewhat bristly, nd 
sometimes bifurcate hairs, one-nerved, ve- 
noso-reticulate, ovate or elliptic, or gs 
tic-oblong, abruptly acuminulate, rounded 
at the base, two, to two and a half is 
long, one, to a line and a half broad, lo 
tiole very short and narrow. (The yid 
of the main stems and their branchlets ' 
fallen off in the specimen under examina- 
tion; the leaf-scars are verticillate, 
nearly so ; the whorls at about three nd 
distance from each other in the main stems, 
but very approximate on the branchlets). 
Fructiferous ramules (the foe PE 
wanting on the specimen) dispose ae 
the superior part of the branchlets, 
filiform, erect, approximate, fee 
leaves atid wate, api bifurcate or pa 
niculate. Pedicels short, erect, en 
disposed in abbreviated three to gon 
ered not uncommonly unilateral ra 
or sometimes subfastigiate. Calyz de 
tiferous) appressedly pilose externally, € 
adherent, deeply five-parted, somewhat 
urceolate over its base; Sep p 
two-seriate, the two outer? very PP 
2 The two exterior sepals of Lechea have been 
a 
e 
