92 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
pedicels, the flowers in bud being ^ line in diam. ; the filaments 
are covered all over with short rigid hairs, mixed occasionally 
with longer ones. 
17. Anelasma. 
When I proposed this genus, in 1851, for a Brazilian plant, 
upon a knowledge of the male flower only, its proper position 
was mistaken, in the absence of the female flower and seed. 
The examination of a specimen, in fruit, from the West Indies, 
closely allied to the Cocculus Domingensis, DC., figured in Deles- 
sert’s ‘ leones,’ led me to infer, from their general appearance, 
that all these plants belonged to the same genus ; but having 
obtained very soon afterwards other and more complete speci- 
mens, I discovered the true carpological structure of Anelasma, 
and found that the Cocculus Domingensis and its allied species 
appertained to Hijperbcena — a genus then placed by me in the 
dubious section for want of a knowledge of its seminal organiza- 
tion. Dr.Grisebach subsequentlypointed out the error as regarded 
Hyperbana, but this I had discovered and rectified long previously. 
Some species of Anelasma and Hyperbeena so much resemble 
one another in the form and veinless texture of their leaves, as 
well as in their inflorescence, that they might easily be con- 
founded by a superficial observation ; but more careful examina- 
tion and an inspection of their floral or carpological structure 
will remove all doubt, as the differences in these respects are 
now well established. The liability of falling into error in the 
determination of such plants, by trusting to mere external cha- 
racters, has misled so experienced a botanist as Mr. Bentham, 
who, in his “ Notes on Menispermacece” (Journ. Proc. Linn. Soc. 
V. Suppl. 49), not only refers all my species of Anelasma to Abuta, 
but has made other misconceptions, which I have pointed out. 
I need not repeat what has already been said {ante, p. 79) 
concerning the opinions of Dr. Grisebach, Mr. Bentham, and 
Dr. Hooker in regard to the supposed identity of Anelasma with 
Abuta, nor recapitulate my reasons for holding them to be dis- 
tinct. In addition to the many opposite characters there men- 
tioned, another notable difierence is worthy of attention : my 
own observations demonstrate that the species of Abuta proper 
are very lofty climbers, as may be judged from specimens seen 
in herbaria, while the remarks of others show that those of Ane- 
lasma form branching erect trees. Gardner says of the typical 
plant that it is “ a small tree and all the other specimens of 
the genus that I have seen bear the aspect of an erect habit. 
In every instance seen by me the leaves are perfectly glabrous, 
and by their nervation and general aspect resemble those of 
