430 



MEXICO.— SUPPLEMENT. 



[Itubiacece. 



patentibus. Stamina 4. Antherce oblongae, vix exsertae. Stylus longe exsertus. Stigma bifidum, laciniis 

 patentibus vel recurvis. Capsula membranacea, calycis dentibus erectis rigidis coronata, bilocularis, loculis 

 monospermis, matura paullo infra medium circumseisse dehiscens " scissurae planum utrinque a dissepimento 

 declive, sic ut pars decidua angulo fere recto appareat excisa." (Schlecht.) Semen ovali-subquadratum, fere 

 liemisphsericum, brunneum, cruciatim quadrilobum, lobis linea transversali emarginatis. 



This plant, as well as the other individuals of the genus, have so much the habit of Spermacoce, that, with- 

 out a careful examination of the fruit, the distinction is not evident. But there a remarkable difference is 

 observable, which has given rise to the generic name. The capsule is a pyxidium, separating into two por- 

 tions, not indeed exactly transversely, but with an angle somewhat resembling that of a V inverted, and the 

 upper half, shaped like a mitre, falls away, frequently carrying the seeds along with it, which are detached 

 from the dissepiment that remains in the lower half {fig. 4, 5.) The seeds are extremelj r curious, and judg- 

 ing from the figure in the Linnsea, very different from those of M. Humboldtianum, one of the species on 

 which the Genus was founded. — Stems and branches dark-coloured. 



Tab. XCIX. A. Mitracarpum Schizangium Fig. 1. Flower; fig. 2. Fruit; fig. 3, 4. Capsule with 



the two portions separated ; fig. 5. Front (or inner) view of a seed ; fig. 6. Back view of ditto ; fig. 7. Side 

 view of ditto : — magnified. 



2. M. pallidum ; herbaceum erectum, ramis elongatis flexuosis, foliis ovato-lanceolatis 

 acutiusculis basi in petiolum attenuatis utrinque scabro-pubernlis, stipulis hirsutis spinoso- 

 setigeris, floribus axillaribus verticillatis et terminalibus capitatis 4-phyllis, filamentis 

 exsertis, seminibus — ? 



Hab. Realejo. — This, although very nearly allied to the preceding, is certainly a distinct species ; it is 

 herbaceous, with an annual root. The stem is erect, and, as well as the elongated branches, of a singularly 

 pale colour, and glossy ; they are rounded, with 4 but little elevated lines, thus indistinctly quadrangular, 

 very slightly downy. The leaves are broader, softer, and more decidedly petiolated, equally long in general, 

 but the uppermost ones, those forming a sort of involucre beneath the terminal head of flowers, are shorter. 

 The stems are one foot and a half to two feet long. The specimens have no fruit. 



1. Crusea parviflora; elata herbacea, ramis elongatis gracilibus divaricatis, foliis ovato- 

 lanceolatis tenuibus in petiolum attenuatis hirsuttilis, umbellis capitatis terminalibus 

 tetrapbyllis, pedicellis calycis lobis basi sericeo-villosissiinis, ovario didymo lobis disjunctis, 

 calycis tubo supra ovarium maxime constricto. (Tab. XCIX. C.) 



Hab. Acapulco. 



Caulis herbaceus, erectus, tetragonus, gracilis, glaber, nitidus, bi-tripedalis et ultra, ramosus. Rami 

 oppositi non raro subverticillati, divaricato-patentes, filiformes, internodiis elongatis. Folia opposita, brevi- 

 petiolata, 1-2 uncias longa, ovato-lanceolata, tenui-membranacea, acuta vel acuminata, basi cuneato-attenuata, 

 glabra vel villosula, subtus pallidiora, penninervia, nervis oblique subparallelis. Stipulce latae, mem- 

 branacese, glabriusculae, setis inasqualibus appressis rigidis marginatas. Flores parvi, umbellato-capitati, 

 capitulis hemisphffirieis semiunciam latis, involucratis, involucro tetraphyllo, foliolis sessilibus ovato-lanceo- 

 latis, 3-,5-nerviis, duobus oppositis triplo minoribus, majoribus unciam longis : intra flores setis vel paleis 

 plurimis angustis villosis. Pedicelli pilis longis sericeis hirsutissimi. Calycis tubus glaber, ob formam ovarii 

 inferne didymus, superne insigniter constrictus, dein in limbum 4-lobum profunde 4-partitum dilatatus. Lim- 

 bus basi membranaceus, hirsutissimus, albus; laciniis elongatis, lineari-spathulatis, herbaceis, acutis, ciliatis, 



