CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
3 
summo pervium immersis, singulatim valviila exteriori mem- 
branacea ab apice ad basin valvatim soluta, et bine diutiue 
omnino reflexa. Pollen subfarinaceum, cruciformi-lobatuni, 
granulis amplis. Ovarium conico-oblongum, subcompressuni, 
2-sulcatum, imo biloculare, summo unilocrdare, loculo cum 
cavo styli longe continue ; ovula in loculis solitaria, anatropa, 
obovata, apice placentae centralis liberae dissepimento adnatae 
utrinque suspensa. Stylus filiformis, erectus, longitudine fere 
staminis, imo conicus et cavus. Stigma oblongum, compressum, 
obtusum, inclusum. Fructus ignotus. — Arbor biorgyalis, Ama- 
zonicus, glaber ; folia alterna, elliptica, penninervia, reticulata, 
petiolata, exstipulata ; indorescentia dichotome paniculata, ax- 
illaris, multiflora ; pedicelli flliformes, subumbellatim aggregati, 
uniflori ; flores minimi. 
1. Aptandra Spruceana ; — foliis eUipticis, subreflexis, apice su- 
bito attenuatis, utrinque glabris, subtus punctis minutissimis 
lentiginosis et pellucidis notatis, rachi nervisque rabentibus ; 
paniculis folio 3-plo brevioribus, pedicellis gracilibus, subfas- 
ciculatis, in fructu valde elongatis et crassioribus ; bracteis 
linearibus e dichotomiis minutis et caducis. — Fluv. Amazo- 
nicus circa Obidos (Spruce)*. 
I have little to add to the previous description, except that 
the leaves are about li inch apart, 4~ inches long, 2;^ inches 
broad, on a reflexed petiole of inch in length ; they are thin in 
texture, with the margin turned back, especially toward the 
base, somewhat polished above, dull and pale beneath. The in- 
florescence, about 2 inches long, throws out four or five lateral 
branches, which are again dichotomously dmded, each branchlet 
having a number of veiy fine filiform pedicels almost umbellately 
fasciculated, about 3 or 4 lines long, which subsequently grow 
to tbe length of an inch, and probably much longer when the 
fruit is matured ; the flowers are to 2 lines long, and y of a 
line in diameter before opening. I may here add an observation 
relative to the stamen, which has eight equal anther-cells : now 
as the calyx, corolla and petaloid scales are all 4-merous, it is to 
be presumed that this staminal organ is composed of four united 
stamens, each with two anther-cells, placed opposite to the pe- 
tals, and alternate with the intervening petaloid scales and the 
teeth of the calyx ; and this is further proved by the fact, that 
no one anther-cell is exactly opposite to or alternate with the 
petals, but two cells are situated before each petal. 
From the foregoing details it will be seen that the exact posi- 
* A representation of this plant, with generic details, will be given in 
plate 1. 
