53 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
nearly equal to them in length; filaments erect, often im- 
plicated, fleshy, compressed, subulate, sometimes invested with 
glandular hairs; anthers iutrorse, 3-lobed, 2- or 4- celled, cells 
dehiscing lengthways by a cleft along one of their margins, 
rarely otherwise. Ovarium entirely free, supported upon a cup- 
shaped disk (which is either quite free or partially adnate with it), 
fleshy, oblong-conical, often surmounted with a conspicuous 
fleshy epigynous gland, which is sometimes lateral, generally by 
abortion 1 -locular, sometimes 3-locular, and then the cells are 
excentrically disposed, showing the normal number of united 
carpels to be 5 : ovules geminate, somewhat collaterally sus- 
pended, one a little higher than the other, from near the sum- 
mit of the cell, by a short fleshy podosperm, which is generally 
expanded in the form of an inverted cup, anatropal, and some- 
times resupinate. Style erect, or incurved, somewhat excentri- 
cal, as long as the stamens, sometimes wanting. Stigma generally 
clavate or obsoletely lobed. Drupe baccate, containing a single 
1 -celled, indehiscent putamen; seed single, filling the cavity of 
the cell, and apparently resupinate ; testa thin and somewhat 
membranaceous, raphe arising from the nearly basal chalaza and 
extending to the summit along the dorsal face. Embryo in the 
axis and summit of fleshy and copious albumen, sometimes much 
shorter, and almost terete, with small oval cotyledons scarcely 
longer and broader than the superior radicle ; but often nearly 
the length of the albumen, with large, ovate, fohaceous cotyledons, 
much longer and broader than the short terete superior radicle. 
The affinity of the Icacinacea is evidently nearest to the Aqui- 
foliaceee and the CelastracecE, differing from both in the aestiva- 
tion of the corolla and the tenuity or frequent obliteration of the 
hypogynous disk. From the latter family they are distinguish- 
able by their suspended ovules and their generally unilocular 
ovarium, and the absence of an arillus about the seed. The seminal 
characters have been derived from examinations of the seed of 
several species of Mappia, and confirmed by the few details fur- 
nished by the ■ leones’ of Dr. Wight in tab. 1153 of Apodytes, 
and tab. 934 of Stemonurus [Gomphandra) . I have little hesita- 
tion in concluding that the genus Pennantia, which has been 
placed by botanists in many different positions, belongs to this 
group, and from this source I am enabled to add many additional 
features which will probably be found to exist in tbe structure 
of other genera of this family. 
I propose to divide the order into three tribes. 
1. Icacinea. In all the genera composing this trihe, the 
ovarium is constantly unilocular in consequence of the complete 
abortion of the other cells, hence it is always somewhat gibbous 
and the style is distinct and in some degree lateral : the anthers 
