triangular, pale green, slightly hairy, tapering upwards into a short style 
with 3 cells, each containing a single ovule. Stigmas 3. Fruit growing 
in large, handsome clusters, yellow-green, deeply tinged with red. Cap- 
sules abounding in a milky juice, globoso-triangular, suddenly tapering 
at the base into a short stalk, and furnished with 3 obtuse wings, termi- 
nating above in the short persistent style, constantly 1-celled (two having 
become abortive and almost obliterated) with one large, ovate seed, half 
immersed in a pure white fleshy cup or arillus, which is fixed by its base 
to the bottom of the cell. Albumen none. Embryo occupying the whole 
cavity of the seed. Cotyledons unequal, radicle inferior. 
Introduced from Brazil by RicHarpson Harrison, Esq. 
of Aegsburgh, and cultivated in great perfection, both in the 
stove of that gentleman and in that of the Liverpool Botanic 
Garden, whence the Messrs SHzPHERDs were kind enough to 
send me in the month of March very fine specimens both in 
flower and fruit. These have enabled me to give, as I trust, 
a tolerably satisfactory analysis of those parts. The capsules 
are decidedly 3-celled, and each cell has three ovules; two of 
which, in all the’ numerous capsules which I have examined, 
become by abortion 1-celled and 1-seeded. 
With regard to the species, it accords in every respect with 
the description of P. meliceefolia of Jussieu in the Annales 
du Muséum, with the sole exception that it has as often four 
as three pairs of pinne to the leaves. No author but M. DE 
JUSSIEU appears to have been acquainted with the plant, and 
he did not know its inflorescence, and only described it from 
dried specimens gathered by Commerson in the Brazils. 
Fig. 1. Unexpanded flowers of P. meliefolia shewing the two small opposite 
leaflets of the calyx, and that side of the flower where is seen the larger 
single leaflet. Fig. 2. Opposite side of a flower-bud, shewing the two Jarge 
lateral leaflets of the calyx (the two oval swellings immediately within 
the small calycine leaflets at Figs. 1. & 9. are the base of the petals made 
convex by the scale within). Fig. 3. View of a flower on that side where — 
the petal is wanting. Fig. 4. Flower, deprived of its petals, shewing the 
4 small glands at the base ofthe stamens. Fig. 5. Petal within its scale. 
Fig. 6. Stamens. Fig. 7. Pollen. Fig. 8. Pistil. Fig. 9. Section of the 
germen, shewing the 3 cells, each containing an ovule. Figs. 10.,& 11. 
Capsules, natural size. Fig. 12. Transverse section of a capsule and. seed. 
Fig. 13. Seed with its arillus. Fig. 14. Vertical section of a seed, with 
its arillus.—All but Figs. 10. & 11. more or less magnified. 
Ld 
