or obscure species of Plants. 551 



Ovarium semiadlucrens, uniloculare absque axi columellare centrali, 

 par tie libera conico-ovata in stylum brevem crassura sensim acumi- 

 nata : ovula 3 ex apice loculi pendula. Stigma 3— lobum. Fructus 

 omnino coheerens, oblongus, apice calycis denticulis styloque per- 

 sistente coronatus, unilocularis, crustaceus, indehiscens, cortice (seu 

 calyce) per maturitatem in valvas 3-4-5 ab apice ad basin subirre- 

 gulariter delacerato. Semen unicum, pendulum. Albumen olea- 

 gineo-carnosum. Embryo minutus, in basi albuminis (sc. prope 

 hilum) situs. 



Frutex glaber, scandens. Folia alterna, longiuscule peliolata, 

 subpeltala, triplinervia, integerrima, ovata, apice atlenuata, basi 

 rotnndata vel retusa, sabtus glauca. Pedunculi graciles, dichotomi, 

 pauciflori, axillares aggregali vel secus ramvlum brevem axillarem 

 aphyllum aut apicem versus oligo-phyllum alternatim disposili, nunc 

 in ramis junioribus axillares soliiarii vel in axillis superioribus in 

 cirrhos muiaii ! Flores longe pedicellati , magnitudine ac quodam- 

 modo facie eornm. Myosotidis palustris colore forsan albo. 



1. M. populifolia, Arn Wight, Cat. n. 2465. 



Hab. — Ad Courtallum ; Wight. 



Of this genus I cannot indicate the natural order, nor even the 

 place in the linear series which it ought to occupy. In the struc- 

 ture of the ovarium it approaches Combretacesej, but in that of the 

 seed is very different from them. I hesitate whether or not the 

 petals be not really distinct : they certainly do cohere by their 

 margins at the very base, forming a kind of short tube, but when 

 they fall off, they leave, not a continuous circular mark, but five 

 distinct scars on the top of the fruit alternating with the teeth of 

 the calyx : I can perceive no epigynous disk. One might suppose 

 it a species of Olacinese with inferior fruit, but it differs from the 

 true genera of that order, as well as of Santalacese, by the want of 

 a central columella to the ovarium : at the same time it is more re- 

 lated to these than to any other oi'der at present characterized, and 

 has as much right to be placed near them as some others usually 

 referred there, but differing widely in their ovaria and fruit. In 

 many respects it bears a relation to Schapfa, a genus referred by 

 Decandolle to Loranthacese, having a cup-shaped bractea under 

 its ovarium, and said to have a trilocular ovary ; whereas here the 

 calyx is naked at the base, and there is no trace of a central axis. 

 In Schcepfa arborescens, however, the only species which I possess 

 or have had an opportunity of dissecting, the ovary is unilocular, 

 with three ovules suspended from the apex of a thick angular, but 

 free central column, as in Olacinese and Santalacea? ; nor does it ap- 



