68 ON SOTJTH-AMEEICAN APOCTNACE^. 



are generally very large, rigid, upon short stout petioles, deeply and hoodingly fossate 

 at the base. 



Rhigospira, nob. : TaberncemontancB sectio Stenocephalium, et Ambellania (in parte) , Miiller. Sepala 

 ovata, interdum majuscnla, valde imbricata, efecta, imo in cupulam brevissimam connata, intus 

 squamulis numerosis 1-2 serialibus munita. Corolla tubulosa, mediocris ; tubus imum versus sub- 

 dUatatus ; segmenta tubo paullo breviora, anguste oblonga, erecta, in sestivatione simpliciter et sinis- 

 trorsum eonvoluta. Stamina basin versus ad contractionem tubi inserta, inclusa ; filamenta brevis- 

 sima; anthera acuminatse, conniventes^ imo breviter et obtusule bifurcatse. Discus cylindricus, 

 camosus, ssepe hispidulus, 5-sulcatus, ovariis paullo brevior. Ovaria 2, oblonga, libera j stylus 

 brevissimus ; clavuncula iucrassata, cylindrica, imo peltatim membranacea. Stigmata 2, subulata, 

 terminalia. 



Suffirutices Brasilienses, plerumque Amazonici, rigescentes ; rami stepius angulati et fistulosi ; folia 

 oblonga, breviter petiolata ; petioli crassi imo profunde cucullatim fossati ; 'pauiculse laterales, breves, 

 dense pluriflora ; flores mediocres, 



1. Rhigospika quadrangularis, nob.: Ambellania quadrangularis, Miill. I. c. p. 18: Hancornia macro- 

 phylla, Spruce MS. In Amazonas, v. s. in herb, meo San Carlos, Rio Negro (Spruce 3026). 



The branches are acutely 4-angled, 3 lines thick, sparsely verruculose, very fistulose, 

 with remote axils; leaves oblong, rather acute at the base, rounded at the sunxmit, 

 rigidly chartaceous, undulately subplicate, margins subrevolute, dark reddish green 

 above, opake, sulcated along the broad midrib, with about 12 pairs of spreading nerves, 

 arcuately conjoined at the margin, with very numerous transverse veins much reticu- 

 lated, ferruginously yellow and opake beneath, the midrib very prominent and angular, 

 sulcate along the prominulent nerves, the surface spotted with large fuscous patches, 

 9 in. long, 3|-4 in. broad, on stout rigid petioles 1 in. long, striately angular beneath, 

 channelled above, with a short, broad, hooded, basal fosset, their margins conjoined 

 across the node by a prominent ridge ; panicle terminal, 5 in. long, spreading above to 

 the same extent, on a bare 4-angular peduncle 3 in. long, trichotomously branched 

 above, branches bare at the base for 1 in., each again trichotomously and shortly divided, 

 the rays severally supporting about 4 subumbellate flowers, on pedicels 2-3 lines long ; 

 sepals acute, ^ line long ; tube of corolla 3 lines long, swelling a little above the base, 

 gradually narrowiag to the mouth, lined within for f of its length with 5 densely pilose 

 lines ; segments linear oblong, obtuse, 3 lines long, erect, simply convoluted sinistrorsely 

 and somewhat spirally in aestivation, rigid ; stamens enclosed, seated in the basal con- 

 traction of the tube; anthers acuminate, with 2 obtuse incurving basal prongs; disk 

 cylindrical, striate, crenulate on the margin, enclosing 2 oblong ovaries of its own length ; 

 style very short ; clavuncle oblong, incrassated with a basal peltate membrane ; stigma 

 shortly subulate, terminal. 



A drawing of this species, and an analysis of its flower, are shown in Plate X. A. 



2. Rhigospira venulosa, nob. : Hancornia macrophylla, Spruce MS. : Ambellania macrophylla, Mull. 

 ;. c. p. 18. In Amazonas : v. s. in herb. Mm. Brit. Panure, Rio Uabupes (Spruce 2483) . 

 Miiller's specific name is not adopted, in order to avoid confusion with another plant 



