144 ON SOUTH-AMERICAN APOCTNACILE. 



crenulatim paullo quinqui fido^ ovarium obtegens . Ovarium ovatunij S-loculare, loculis utrinque plurio- 

 vulatis; stylus filiformis; clavuncula breviter oblonga, 5-glaiidiilosa, imo indusio peltiformi munita; 

 stigmata 2, parva, obtusa, terminalia. Pructus capsularis, fasiformi-cylindricus, superne angiistior, 

 apice breviter nodosus, utrinque sulcatus ; pericarpium crasso-coriaceum, 2-locularej per dissepi- 

 menium bilamellare ad suleos septieide dehiscens, marginibus ad axem sutura longitudinali intro- 

 flexis et placentiferis. Semina plurima, oblonga^ compressaj superne suspensa, coma nequilonga 

 coronata; testa dorso corrugata, ventre planata et raphe longitudinali vasis spiralibus repleta 

 munita; embryo auatropus, in albumen tenue viride immersus; cotyledones 2, oblongae, mem- 

 branacese ; radicula his triple brevior, tenuiter teres^ supera. 



Frutices America meridionalis scandentes, plerumqve dense villosi, rarius glabri ; ramorum axillae 

 dilatatee, remotiusculce, linea transversa notata, et utroque latere pluristipellat<s ; folia oblonga vel 

 elliptica, opposita, Integra, nervosa, tomentosa vel glabra, cum petiolis linea transversa nexis ; cyma 

 unilateralis ; pedunculus esc involucello stipellarum ortus, apice brevissime ramosus, ramis densifloris, 

 corymbam capitatam simulantibus ; Acres subparvi, subpedicellati, bracteolati : fructus villosus, peri- 

 carpio crasse coriaceo. 



1. Prestonia tombntosAj E,. Br. Mem. Wern. Soc. i. 69; A. DC. /. c. p. 429; Miill. Fl. Bras. xxvi. 

 p. 163 (in parte). In Brasilia : v. s. in herb. Mus. Brit. Rio de Janeiro (Solander). 



This typical specimen, collected by Solander in 1768, has scandent branches, covered 

 with yellow tomentum, with axils 6 in. apart ; the opposite oblong leaves, oval at the 

 base and there scarcely cordate, diminish gradually towards the summit, and are ter- 

 minated by a narrow very acute acumen, are fuscous green above, sparsely pilose, with 

 short rigid hairs seated upon minute scabrid glandules, are sulcate along the immersed 

 nerves and transverse veins, clothed beneath with extremely dense, soft, woolly, yellow 

 tomentum which conceals the under surface, 4^5^ in. long, If— 2f in. broad, on thick, 

 woolly petioles 2 lines long ; inflorescence lateral, very tomentous, on a peduncle 3 lines 

 long, shortly divided, the branchlets bearing many flowers aggregated into a globular 

 head 1 in. in diameter ; pedicels 2 lines long, villous, bracteoles linear, acute, villous, 

 2 lines long, 1 line broad ; sepals acutely oblong, densely villous on both sides, 6 lines 

 long, 2^ lines broad, each with an opposite, inner, externally villous, somewhat acute 

 scale 1^ line long, 3-denticulate at the apex ; tube of corolla pilose outside, 8 lines 

 long, appendages as in the generic character ; the segments, glabrous within, are 5 Hnes 

 long ; stamens included, shortly excurrent ; filaments retrorsely hispid behind ; anthers 

 subcoherent ; disk urceolate, with a margin of 5 broad emarginated teeth, enclosing a 

 pilose 2-celled ovary ; capsule as in the generic character, of a greyish colour, retrorsely 

 pilose, 2f in. long, 9 lines broad, reduced above to 1^ line, and terminated by a globular 

 knob 2 Lines broad ; seeds oblong, fusiform, compressed, rugous on the dorsal face, with 

 a white longitudinal raphe on the ventral side, 5 lines long, 1 line broad, with an apical 

 coma of erect reddish hairs, in 2 series, 6 lines long. 



It may be greatly doubted whether the specimens of Pohl from the province of Goyaz, 

 and of Olaussen from Minas Geraes, as quoted by Miiller, are identical with Solander's 

 plant. De Candolle, who refers to Olaussen's specimen, was dubious on the subject, 

 though he had not seen the typical plant. Miiller's description, without a knowledge of 

 the type, is sufficiently at variance with it, as its leaves are of a yellowish golden green, 



