CHAEACTEES AND DESCEIPTION 



LIMNANTHES. 



A PAPER was read, entitled " Characters and Description 

 of Limnanthes, a new genus of plants allied to Moerkea," 

 by Bobert Brown, Esq., V.P.L.S. 



For specimens of the plant described the writer is indebted 

 to the Horticultural Society, and to Mr. Davi'd Douglas, 

 F.L.S., by whom it was recently discovered in California. 



Mr. Brown was led more particularly to examine Lim- 

 nanthes, from its resemblance to Moerkea of Willdenow, a 

 genus which he had many years since investigated without 

 being able to determine its place in the natural system. 

 Examination proved these two plants to be so nearly akin, 

 that they might perhaps be included in the same genus. 

 They are here, however, separated, and the two genera are 

 considered as forming a family distinct from all those at 

 present known. 



The place of this new family (Limnanthes) is not 

 absolutely determined; but it is suggested that in two 

 remarkable points of its structure, namely, the presence of 

 glands subtending the alternate filaments, and the existence 

 of a gynobase, it more nearly approaches to Hypogynous 

 families than to Perigynous, with which it has hitherto been 

 associated. 



The following are the characters of the Natural Order, 

 and of the two Genera forming it. 



