﻿X. 



On the Genus Croomia, and its Place in the Natural Si/stem. 



By ASA GRAY, M. D. 



{Read April 12, 1859.) 



CROOMIA, Torr. & Gray. 



Perigonium alte 4-partitum, persistens ; phyllis ovalibus cruciatim oppositis enerviis, testivatione imbricatis 

 (duobus interioribus), in antliesi patentissimis. Stamina 4, fundo perigonii inserta, phyllis anteposita : 

 filamenta discreta, brevia, crassa, erecta : antherse apici filament! oblique introrsum inserta, immobiles, con- 

 nectivo vix ullo, loculis appositis ovalibus fere bilocellatis longitudinaliter dehiscentibus. Pollen globosum. 

 Ovarium simplex, ovato-globosum, liberum, arete sessile, vel ima basi fundo perigonii leviter accretum, unilocu- 

 lare, stigmate sessili integro depresso apiculatum. Ovula 4-6, anatropa, e summo loculo suspensa ; funiculis 

 brevibus criniferis. FoUiculus ovatus, saepe rostrato-acuminatus, subcoriaceus, demum bivalve ; placenta 

 nerviformi, e sutura ventrali secedente vel separabili, apice 1 - 3-sperma. Semina majuscula, obovata, appensa, 

 rugoso-j)luricostata, ad cbalazam planam inappendiculata, superne fibris crinalibus copiosissimis longis e funiculo 

 longiusculo rhaplieque ortis quasi arillata. Testa coriacea. Embryo minimus, in albumine carnoso-eorneo 

 prope umbilicum inclusus, obovatus cum extremitate radicular! supera brevi angustata, monocotyledoneus. — 

 Herba perennis, caule bumiU simplicissimo e rhizomate subterraneo repente longe enodi apice confertim sed 

 alternatini vel subfasciculatim 4-6-pliyUo; foliis longius petiolatis Dioscoreineis oblongo-cordatis 5-9-costatis 

 cum venulis transversis reticulatis ; pedunculis axillaribus paucifloris, pediceUis medio articulatis superne 

 claveUato-incrassatis ; floribus parvis, perigonio viridulo basi intus filamentisque purpureis, antheris lateritiis. 



Corpus lignosum caulis inter medullam et corticem cellulosum circulatim dispositum, in caule proprio e 

 foseieulis 7-10 parvis late discretis (raro binatis) uniseriatis, in rhizomate zonam integram, radiis medullaribus 

 nullis percursam, efficiens. 



Croomia pauciflora, Ton: & Gray, Fl. N. Amer. 1. p. 663 ; Gray, Gen. Ill l.p. 89, t. 37. Anonymos 

 dioscoroides, Croom in Sill. Jour. 2S, p. 165. Cissampelos pauciflora, NiUt. in Jour. Acad. Philad. l,p. 115. 

 Hab. in umbrosis Floridae occidentalis et AlabamjB. 



When this genus was characterized by Dr. Torrey and myself, almost twenty years 

 ago, we were puzzled to decide whether the plant was monocotyledonous and endoge- 



YOL. VI. NEW SERIES. 68 



