304 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
spines conform exactly to those of the Colletiem, having the same 
corneous pungent apex*. 
Observations. — The Rhamnus microphyllus, H.B.K. tab. 616, 
from Mexico, might be thought to belong to Scypharia, on ac- 
count of its 2-lobed petals and 2-celled ovary ; but its habit is 
quite incompatible. Its branches are spineless, decumbent, and 
alternate ; its leaves also are alternate. Its relation is probably 
with Mia'orhamnus ericifolia, A. Gray (PI. Wright, p. 34), to 
which perhaps Colletia disperma, DC., is allied, all being indi- 
genous to Mexico. 
A new genus has lately been proposed in the ‘ Linnaea’ (xxviii. 
618), by Dr. Philippi, under the name of Sciadophila, founded 
upon the Colletia Maytenoides of Dr. Grisebach, a plant from 
one of the southern provinces of Chile (Valdivia). I have care- 
fully examined this plant, and find that in its general habit and 
in its floral structure it differs in no respect from the genus 
Condalia of Cavanilles. Dr. Philippi places his genus among 
the ColletiecE ) but it evidently belongs to the Rhamnece [Frangu- 
liiiecB, Reiss.) : the segments of the calyx are divided to the 
margin of the disk, and are deciduous, as in Condalia, it has 
also no petals ; the stamens are of the same form, and are simi- 
larly situated ; in the structure of its ovary, in its style and 
stigma, it likewise agrees ; and the fruit is also a berry, seated 
on the persistent cupular base of the calyx. In its general 
habit it quite resembles other species of Condalia, its leaves 
being alternate, and it has no spines. Dr. Philippi describes its 
flowers as being pentamerous ; but in the specimen I examined 
they were certainly tetramerous, as in the other species of the 
genus. I do not doubt the accuracy of the former statement •, 
for it is very probable that its flowers may occasionally be ab- 
normally pentamerous. I add below, in a note, my observations 
upon the above-mentioned plant f. 
* This plant is figured in Plate 42 d. 
t Condalia Maytenoides-, — Sciadophila Maytenoides, Phil. Linn, xxviii. 
618 ; — Colletia Maytenoides, Griseb. loc. cit. p. 619; — frutex vix orgyalis, 
inermis, ramulis gracilibus, striatis, subglabris, valde foliosis ; foliis alternis, 
elliptico- vel lanceolato-oblongis, utrinque aeutis, integris, margine cartila- 
gineo, subrevoluto vel interdum obsolete crenulato, glaberrimis, subtus 
paulo pallidioribus, crassiusculis, nervis superne omnino immersis, subtus 
vix prominulis, racbi superne sulcato, infra prominente ; petiolo brevi, 
jiallido, canabculato; stipubs parvis, caducissimis ; floribus axillaribus, 
solitariis, vel binis, glaberrimis, calycis tubo urceolato, brevi, limbo 4-fido, 
*quilongo; staminibus 4, laciniis dimidio brevioribus, erectis, antheris 
parvis, globosis, apicifixis ; ovario glabro ; stylo staminibus aequilongo, 
glahro, crassiusculo, subulato; stigmate 3-dentato. Bacca (sec. Phil.) 
nigra, basi angustata, insipida. — Chile, in nemoribus Prov. Valdiviae. — 
V. s. in hb. Mus. Paris. (Philippi). 
