CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
81 
have now retained Batschia as a section of Abuta, distinguished 
hy the characters just mentioned. In Batschia, although the 
leaves are glabrous and smaller, they accord with those of 
Abuta in their ramified nervation, in which respect Anelasma 
differs from the whole group. All the species of Abuta seem to 
be scandent plants, while those of Batschia appear to be erect 
shrubs. When these plants are better known, I think it very 
likely that Batschia will establish its right to rank as a distinct 
genus. 
While this paper was in the printer’s hands, I received 
from Dr. Eichler the 25th Number of the ‘ Ratisbon Flora’ 
(July 1864), giving an abstract of his arrangement of American 
Menispermece, as prepared for Prof, von Martins’s ‘ Flora Brasi- 
liensis.’ Dr. Eichler has there adopted the views of other bota- 
nists which I have just combated, in uniting Anelasma with 
Abuta \ he divides this genus into four sections, — (1) Butua (or 
Abuta proper) ; (2) Batschia ; (3) Anelasma ; (4) Corynostemon, 
which is founded on the plant I have here described as Abuta 
{Batschia) acutifolia (Spruce, 2763), and which I placed in that 
section on account of its hairy stamens. I have shown that the 
stamens of this species differ in no respect from those of Batschia 
racemosa and A. Seemanni, except in the greater breadth of the 
filament in the three inner stamens : the section Corynostemon 
will therefore hardly be received as a valid one, as my analyses 
wiU show. In regard to the determination of the several species 
of Abuta, I regret to differ as much with Dr. Eichler as with 
those botanists whose example he has followed. 
Abuta, Barrere, Aublet. — Flores dioici. Masc. Sepala 9, in or- 
dine ternario alterna, 6 exteriora bracteiformia, linearia, 3 in- 
teriora majora, deltoidea, acuta, concava, extus sericeo- 
tomentosa, sestivatione valvata, apice inflexa. Petala nulla. 
Stamina 6, libera, subbiseriata, subaequalia, androecio brevi 
insita, sepalis opposita •, filamenta subcarnosa, suberecta, 
apice incrassata, inflexa et conniventia, glabra vel pilosa, 
3 interiora latiora ; antherce 2-lob8e, lobis discretis, ovatis, sub- 
parallelis, ad filamentum utroque latere omnino adnatis, sin- 
gulis rima marginali longitudinali dehiscentibus. — Fcem. Se- 
pala 6, ut in mare. Petala nulla. Stamina sterilia 6, sequalia, 
filamenta filiformia, subincurva, ovariis sequilonga, glabra aut 
pilosa, interdum elavata et hinc apice glandulis 2 minutis 
signata, gynsecio villosissimo aflSxa. Ovaria 3, libera, sepalis 
interioribus opposita, dense sericea, 1-locularia; ovulum soli- 
tarium, subincurvum, supra medium faciei ventralis funiculo 
VOL. III. M 
