44 



Descriptions of Malayan Plants. 



exsert. Style filiform, bifid. Ovary very hairy, 3 to 4-celled ; 

 cells one-seeded. 



There is always one leaflet less in the involucrum than the 

 number of flowers in the fascicle, the central flower having 

 no fulcrum. This species was sent to Dr. Roxburgh from 

 Sylhet, and by him called Roscoea ; that name however 

 being pre-occupied, a new one has become necessary. I have 

 therefore given it that of Sphenodesme (fasciculus alatus.) 



XVII. CYRTHANDRACE^.* 



In examining some of the numerous Sumatran species of 

 Cyrtandra, I was lately led to observe the great inaccuracy 

 of Forster's description and figure of the fruit, which has 

 been the cause of deception in regard to its natural affinities. 

 His error consists in representing the septum as complete, 

 with adnate placentae similar to what obtains in some genera 

 belonging to Scrophularince ; whereas, in reality, it is bipar- 

 tite through the axis of the fruit, and the placentae are no 

 other than the revolute lobes of the septa. This peculiar 

 structure is more distinct in the nearly related genus of 

 Didymocarpus (MaL Misc* vol. i.), which has capsular fruit, 

 and where the lobes of the contrary dissipiment so completely 

 bipart the cells as to give it the appearance of being qua- 

 drilocular. It is obvious that this character is totally incon- 

 sistent with that of ScrophularincCf and it does not accord 

 exactly with any of the Jussiaean orders. Didymocarpus is 

 related to Bignoniaceae through Incarvillea, but it is not 



* II. On Cyrtandracese, a new Natural Order of Plants. By William 

 Jack M. D. Communicated by Aylmer Bourke Lambert, Esq. F. R. S. 

 V. P. L. S. Linn. Trans. Vol. XIV. p. 23. -^-Head May 7, 1822. 



