R A N U N C U L A C E M. 13 



more closely allied to true Caltha, as Dr. Hooker remarks, than to C. 

 appendiculata. 



5. PSYCHROPHILA. 



Sepala 5, crassiuscula, appendice membranacea caudato-attenuata vel 

 dbtusa brevi aucta, marcescentia, persistentia. Petala nulla. Stamina 

 5-9. Ovaria 2-9, pauci- (2-8-) ovulata. Folliculi 2-3-sperma. Semina 

 pendula. — Herbce nance, coespitosos, caudicibus petiolorum vaginis latis- 

 simis scariosis obtectis, lamina foliorum 2-3-loba crassa, basi intus 

 appendicibus binis sursum erectis appressis instructa ; pedunculo bre- 

 vissimo unifloro ; floribus subdioicis. 



Caltha, § Psychrophila, DC. Sjst. 1, p. 307, excl. sp. ; Hook. f. Fl. An tare. p. 228. 

 Psychrophila, C. Gay, Fl. Chil. 1, p. 47, excl. char. & sp. 2-3. 



Distinguished from Caltha as a genus by the membranaceous appen- 

 dages which terminate the thickish sepals, either attenuated and as 

 it were caudate, as in P. appendiculata, or short and blunt as in P. 

 dioneosfolia ; by the few stamens (from 5 to 9) ; and the few (2 to 9) 

 and 2-S-ovulate ovaries, and 2-3-seeded follicles ; the subdioecious flowers; 

 and the very different habit. It must be confessed, however, that the 

 New Zealand species of Caltha, recently illustrated by Dr. Hooker, 

 having narrow and attenuated sepals, is too nearly intermediate for 

 the satisfactory discrimination of the two genera. Of the curious in- 

 ternal appendage of the leaves, adnate to the base of the blade, we 

 have indeed an approach in the inflexed auricles of Caltha sagittata. 

 This appendage is doubtless of the same nature as that on the inner 

 face of the petals of Erythroxylum, and of certain Sapindacece. 



1. Psychrophila appendiculata, Gay, I. c. 



Caltha appendiculata, Pers. Ench. 2, p. 107 ; DC. Syst. 1, p. 307 ; Deless. Ie. Sel. 



1, t. 43; Hook. f. Fl. Antarc. p. 228. 

 C. paradoxa, Solander, in herb. Banks. ) Forst. in Linn. Trans. 8, p. 324. 



Hab. Orange Harbour, Fuegia. 



4 



