CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
19 
Genera dubia, vel ab ordine excludenda. 
Adeliopsis, Bth. & Hook. (Gen. PI. i. 436). In each of its three carpels 
there are two superimposed ovoiles — a character quite foreign to Meni- 
spermacea, and more in conformity with Schizandrace(B. 
Spirospermum, Th. Although admitted in the new ‘ Genera Plantarum ’ 
(i. 39), the genus cannot belong to this order : if the mode of develop- 
ment of the ovary in Menispermacete be as I have described it (of 
which little doubt can be entertained), no embryo by any possibihtv' 
could ever become “ cylindricus, longissimus, spiraliter convolutus.” 
This structure recalls to our memory the Sapindaceous genera Ophio- 
caryum, Llagunoa, and Guindilla ( Valenzuelia), the latter a choecious or 
polygamous plant from the Andes of Chile, having three distinct uni- 
locular carpels, attached to a short slender gynobase, each containing an 
e.xalbuminous seed with a spiral embryo. The position of Spirospermum 
will more probably be found in Sapindacea or Ochnacece. 
It may here be remarked that the Chondodendron of the new ‘ Genera 
Plantarum ’ (non R. & P.) is identical with my genus Odontocarya ; and 
that my Botryopsis is the same as Chondodendron, R. & P., which name 
claims the preference. Microlicia of the same work is synonymous with 
my Pleogyne. Sarcopetalum of the same authors belongs to the tribe 
Pachygonem, 
1. COSCINIUM. 
This genus was first proposed by Colebrook for a Ceylon 
plant (the Veni-vel of the natives), the seed of which had been 
figured by Gaertner as the Menispernmm fenestratum (De Fruct. 
i. 219, tab. 46. f. 5). Colebrook^s account of the typical plant 
is very incomplete, as he had not seen either the male or the 
female flowers, all his data being founded on a short memoran- 
dum of Dr. Roxburgh. Gaertner represents the cotyledons of 
the embryo as being pierced with holes, whence his specific 
name of fenestratum ; but in this respect he was undoubtedly 
mistaken : that excellent carpologist (perhaps from imperfect 
specimens) quite misunderstood the whole seminal structure; 
his drawing shows the radicle in the usual position, diametrically 
contrary to the base of the seed, instead of being directed to a 
point near it ; the cotyledons, though in difi’erent cells of the 
albumen, are shown to be accumbently placed together, not 
laterally divaricated, and to be pierced with holes, instead of 
being deeply laciniated on their margins ; while the extremely 
gibbous form of the drupe is not noticed. The drupe is oval, 
and transverse in regard to its stipitate support, the remains of 
the style being seen in one of its angles, at a point removed 30° 
from the base ; but as the stipitate support stands at a right 
angle with the axis of the pedicel, the longer diameter of the 
fruit is parallel with that axis, so that the style, at the distance 
mentioned, points towards it. The putamen is correspondingly 
oval, somewhat flattened on the side of the stipitate support, 
nearly opposite to which are seen two small collateral pervious 
D 2 
