CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
221 
The description given in the text of Velloz of his Pluchia curiosa 
corresponds better with this species than with the preceding one, 
to which it is referred by Prof. Martins. By Velloz it is placed 
in Octandria Monogynia : I have found it to happen occasion- 
ally, in all the species, that one or two of the anthers are defi- 
cient ; but in that case the tube of the stamens is constantly 
10-nen^ed*. 
Additional Observations upon the Genera Aptandra, 
Cathedra, Liriosma, Leretia, Poraqueiba, and Emmotum. 
Aptandra. 
In completing the drawing to illustrate this genus, as described 
in this work (p. 3), I have been able to add the details since 
obtained of the structure of its fruit and seed. This infor- 
mation, which fixes beyond doubt the position of Aptandra 
in the system, is derived from the analysis of the only fruit that 
accompanied a specimen of the Heisteria tubicina of Poppig, 
which I received from Mr. Spruce. This plant is described by 
Poppig in his ‘ Nov. Gen.’ iii. 35, and is figured by him in 
plate 241, but only from immature fruit. We have satisfactory 
proof that it really belongs to Aptandra by the presence of an 
ovary in the same specimen, which is somewhat advanced in 
growth, and around the style of which the peculiar monadel- 
phous staminal tube still remains, which is precisely similar to 
that I have shown in Aptandra Spruceana. The calyx, which in 
the flower is barely a line long, in the fruit grows to a very 
large size, becoming campanular with an entire spreading mouth, 
and it half envelopes the dry globular drupe, which is nearly an 
inch in diameter. Its pericarp is smooth, coriaceous, indehis- 
cent, half a line in thickness, unilocular, and monospermous : 
the nucleus, in this instance, was greatly shrivelled, and in con- 
sequence much corrugated, and was covered with mildew, so 
that the nature of its decayed seminal envelopes could not be 
ascertained: a firm integument adhered closely to the pericarp, 
which appeared to me to be the external tunic of the seed rather 
than of the endocarp ; but of this I cannot be sure : the nucleus 
adhered to the bottom of the cell by a round cicatrix, which ap- 
pears to be the remnant of the free central placenta, upon which 
the ovules are attached in the floral ovary. The nucleus con- 
sisted of a homogeneous fleshy substance, which, after being 
* A drawing of this species, together with analytical details of the struc- 
ture of the flower and seed of Diclidanthera laurifolia, is given in this 
volume, Plate 32. 
