331 
the petals; anthers sessile, 2-celled, opening transversely, with a fleshy connective; some- 
times 3 sterile stamens, alternate with them. Ovary inferior, or 3-celled, many-seeded, 
with the dissepiments alternate with the wings of the perianth ; style single : stigma 3- 
lobed, petaloid. Capsule covered by the withered perianth, or 3-celled, bursting irregularly. 
Seeds very numerous and minute, striated ; [with an aril ; attached to each side of the 
inflected dissepiments; albumen fleshy; embryo minute included. Blume.'] — Herbaceous 
plants, with tufted radical acute leaves, or none ;''a slender naked stem ; and terminal flowers, 
sessile upon a 2- or 3 -branched rachis, or solitary. 
Affinities. The single genus upon which this was founded, was placed 
by Jussieu in Bromeliacese ; Brown stationed it as a doubtful genus at the 
end of Juncaceae, with the remark, that it is extremely distinct both in flower, 
fruit, and inflorescence, and not really allied to any other known plant, but 
more nearly related to Xyris and Philydrum than to either Bromeha or Hy- 
poxis. Von Martins, who has beautifully illustrated the Brazilian species, re- 
fers them to Hydrocharacese. Blume, who has added two new genera, merely 
remarks that “the order is known from Juncaceae by its tubular perianth 
which is petaloid instead of glumaceous, and by the structure of the fruit ; it is 
weU distinguished from Iridaceae by the station of the stamina, and the trans- 
verse dehiscence of the anthers.” Emm. p. 27. Nuttall asserts that Trip- 
terella is a genus distinct from Burmannia 1. c. To me it seems that they are, 
upon the whole, nearest Haemodoraceae, with which they agree in their tubu- 
lar perianthium, in having the stamens reduced to three and opposite the pe- 
tals, a much enlarged connective, the ovary inferior, and some resemblance in 
foliage and habit. It is, however, certain that there is no known monocotyle- 
donous order to wh'ch these really approach very closely. 
Geography. Natives of the tropics of Asia, Africa, and America. Trip- 
terella is found as far to the north as Virginia in North America. 
Properties. Apteria setacea is slightly bitter and very astringent. Si- 
milar flavour, something like that of Green Tea, is discernible in TriptereUa 
caerulea. Nuttall. 
GENERA. 
Burmannia, L. TriptereUa, Mx. 
Maburnia, Pet. Th. Gonyanthes, Bl. 
Vogelia, Gmel. Gymnosiphon, Bl. 
Apteria, Nutt. 
Order CCXXXIX. TACCACEiE. 
HhCCTS.M, Presl. Reliq. Hcenk. \. (1830); Bartl. Ord. Nat. 82. (1830). — Taccace^, 
Aey, ^c.70. (1835). 
Essential Character. — Perianth superior ; limb petaloid, equal, or unequal, per- 
sistent. Stamens 6, inserted into the base of the segments of the perianth, distinct ; fila- 
ments dilated, petaloid, hooded at the apex ; anthers inserted below the points of their 
filaments, in their concavity ; 2-celled, the cells distinct. Ovary composed of 3 connate 
carpels, 1 -celled, or half 3-celled, with 3 parietal polyspermous placentae ; styles 3, connate; 
stigmas connate at the base, radiating, 2-lobed. Pericarp berried, indehiscent, 1 -celled, 
or half 3-celled, many-seeded. Seeds lunate or somewhat ovate, striated. Albumen fleshy. 
Embryo placed on the outside of the albumen in the region of the hilum. — Large perennial 
herbs, with a tuberous root. Stem very short, bearing scapes. Leaves all radical, stalked 
pedatifid, the segments pinnatifid and entire ; rarely undivided, with curved parallel veins. 
Stipules 0. Flowers placed on the top of a simple taper or angular furrowed scape, in 
umbels, hermaphrodite, regular, surrounded by undivided bracts forming an involucre. 
Bartling. 
Affinities. Personally I have had no opportunity of examining critically 
