CONTIUBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
107 
peculiarity, however, consists in the unusual structure and sin- 
gular mode of dehiscence of their anthers, which are formed of 
two opposite, unilocular, valveless, and separate cells, the pollen 
being discharged extrorsely through a fissure arising from the 
secession of the dorsal margin of each boat-shaped cell from the 
very fleshy connective, features that have hitherto escaped obser- 
vation. Emmotum offers also another peculiarity in its ovarium 
with three radiate cells, placed excentrically on the somewhat 
gibbous and anterior side of the ovarium. These points of struc- 
ture are so different from the development met with in other 
genera of the Icacinacea, as naturally to lead to the suspicion 
that Emmotum may not belong to this family; but w'e must 
remember that in other respects it accords, viz. in its exstipulate 
alternate leaves, small flowers with a persistent unchanged calyx, 
petals with valvate aestivation, alternate stamens, simple style, 
and suspended collateral ovules. I have therefore retained the 
genus doubtfully, as a separate tribe of the Icacinacem {ante, 
p. 53), until its true place in the system can be ascertained, which 
will be determined by a knowledge of the structure of the fruit 
and seed and the form and position of its embryo. The name, 
I presume, has been derived from eV and /aoro?, linteum, on 
account of the densely intertwined hairs that line the petals, a 
character that also suggested the name of Pogopetalum. These 
hairs, when examined under the microscope, appear flattened 
and covered with numerous prominent transparent glandular 
dots as in Leretia. The following is an outline of its generic 
features : — 
Emmotum, Desv. Pogopetalum, Benth. — Flores perfect!. Calyx 
brevissimus, 5- rarius 4-dentatus, liber, fructifer immutatus. 
Petala 5, rarius 4, lineari-oblonga, carnosula, intus ad cari- 
nam longitudinalem pilis rufis ssepius longis et crispatis den- 
sissime barhata, sestivatione valvata, mucrone apical! introflexo. 
Stamina 5 vel 4, petalis alterna, iis vix breviora, omnino libera ; 
filamenta carnosula dilatata, incurva, apice repente acuta ; an- 
ther m 2-loculares, connectivo crasso, interdum loculis utrinque 
sejunctis breviores, vel ssepe in mucronem subulatum incur- 
vulum ultra loculos suhantrorsim positos producto, imo cor- 
date affixse, loculis membranaceis, cymbseformibus, evalvibus, 
margine posteriori a connectivo omnino solute hinc extrorsim 
dehiscentibus. Pollen ovale, longitudinaliter sulcatum. Ova- 
rium liberum, oblongum, subgibbum, pilosum, disco hypogyno 
parvo sistens, 3-loculare, loculis excentrice radiantibus ; ovula 
in quoque loculo 2, juxta apicem appensa et subcollateraliter 
superposita. Stylus excentricus, erectus, teres. Stigma e den- 
tibus 3 brevissimis erectis minutum. Drupa globosa, abortu 
p 2 
