OF PLANTS CALLED COMPOSITiE. 291 



the former species, but certainly not with Bidens scandens. 

 And 3dly, I infer that Bidens nivea was actually in 

 Browne's Herbarium, from finding it in the Flora Ja- 

 maicensis pubhshed in the 5th volume of Amoenitates 

 Academicse, and formed chiefly from that Herbarium ; 

 though a very erroneous reference for this species is there 

 made to Browne's first Santolina, which, from the descrip- 

 tion, cannot possibly belong to Bidens nivea, but is probably 

 Verhesina gigantea. 



M. Decandolle has lately established a new genus, 

 Salmea, consisting of Bidens scandens, Bidens Jdrsuta, and 

 a third species which I have not examined. These plants 

 are very properly separated from Bidens by this excellent 

 botanist, and well distinguished both from that genus and 

 from Melananthera. It is rather remarkable, however, that 

 he has not thought it necessary to compare Salmea with 

 Spilanthus, from which, according to his description, it 

 differs 'only in its imbricate involuerum. But as in Sj^i- 

 lanthus the foliola of the involuerum are not exactly equal, 

 and are disposed at least in a double series, I have intro- 

 duced some additional distinctions into the following cha- [ns 

 racter of 



Salmea. 

 Decandolle in Cat. Hort. Monspel. p. 140. 



Involuerum imbricatiun. Beceptaculum conicum, paleis 

 persistentibus. Flosculi tubulosi, uniformes, hermaphroditi 

 (5-fidi). Anther ce sagittatse. Achenium verticaliter com- 

 pressum, bi-aristatum ; aristis persistentibus (apteris v. 

 alatis). 



Frutices (Americse sequinoctialis) scepius decumbentes. 

 Folia opposita, indivisa. Inflorescentia terminalis, sub- 

 paniculata, vel corymhosa. Corollse albidce. Palese recepta- 

 culi post lapsum pericarpiorum persistentes. 



Obs. Of this genus I have examined specimens of 

 three species in Sir Joseph Banks's Herbarium, diff'ermg 

 from each other in several very remarkable characters. 



