98 FLORA VITIENSIS. 
2-loculares. Ovarium liberum, 1-loculare, plecentis parictalibus 3 v. 4, ovulis 90, oo-seriatis semi- 
anatropis. Stylus terminalis, indivisus v. breviter 3-fidus ; phigmata P pete v. odalita. Capsula 
subglobosa, coriacea, carnosa, 1-locularis, 3—4-valvis, valyis medio seminiferis. spec pauca, Gvato- 
angulata, umbilico yentrali, rhaphe brevi, crassiuscula, intra integumentnm eR RED e baceatnm, inte- 
grum v, in arillum multifidum fatiscens prorepente, cum chalaza basilari excayvata juncto, testa 
erustacea, fragili, endopleura membranacea. Embryo in apice albuminis carnosi parvus, foliaceus, 
orthotropus, radicula chalazie e diametro opposita——Arbores y. frutices; foliis alternis, distichis, 
integerrimis v. serratis, pellucido-punctatis v. impunctatis, stipulis petiolaribus gemiuis; floribus in 
axillis foliorum umbellatis v. glomeratis, rarius solitariis vy, corymbosis, albo-viridescentibus v. rarins 
roscis, pedicellis articulatis, basi bracteatis.—Antigona, Vell. Fl. Flum. vol. iv. t. 145. Melistaurum, 
Forst. Gen. t, 72. 
1. C. () acuminatissima, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 80; glabra; foliis nitidis oblongo-lanceo- 
latis longe acuminatis basi rotundatis vix punctatis subintegerrimis ; fructu obovato-globoso $-valvi 
1-spermo.—Bua or Sandalwood Bay, Vanua Levu (U.S. Expl. Exped.), 
2, C. disticha, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 81. t. 5. excl. syn. Forst., Willd. et DC.; fruticosa ; 
foliis brevissime petiolatis oblongis seu ovali-oblongis integerrimis v. hine inde dentatis membranaceis 
crebre punctatis; floribus e gemma axillari pluribus parvis subsessilibus; filamentis fertilibus 10 
glabris, sterilibus villosis; stigmate integerrimo.—Bua Bay, Vanua Levu (U, 8. Expl. Exped), 
Ovalau (Seemann! n, 11). 
A. Gray referred Forster’s Melistaurum distichum to this species as a doubtful synonym; but from 
Forster’s authentic specimens and his drawing, existing at the British Museum, the two are widely sepa- 
rated. I may add a description of Forster’s plant :— 
C. Melistaurum, DC, Prodr. vol, i, p. 51; glabra; foliis brevipetiolatis, ovato-oblongis sen oblongo- 
Janceolatis acuminatis integerrimis crasse coriaceis impunctatis utrinque glabris et lucidis, eostis nervisque 
supra impressis ; floribus e gemma axillari oo parvis pedicellatis; floribus hermaphroditis, laciniis calycinis 
5 ovyatis obtusis, estivatione quincuncialis; antheris fertilibus 10, sterilibus 10, apice pilosis, stylo brevis- 
simo; stigmate peltato.— Melistaurum distichum, Forst. Gen, t. 72; Prodr, n. 570, eb Icon, (ined.) t. 301. 
Samyda polyandra, Willd. Sp. vol. ii. p. 626.—New Caledonia (Forster! W. Anderson! Vieillard! n, 1169). 
The leaves of C. Melistawrum are large, very leathery and shining, especially on the upper side; 
petioles 3 inch long, blade from 5-9 inches long, and often 4-5 inches broad. 
3. ©. Richii, A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 82. t. 5 B; foliis distichis modice petiolatis ovatis sub- 
acuminatis subcoriaceis yix punctatis; floribus minimis e gemma axillari fasciculatis subsessilibus ; 
filamentis fertilibus 10 inferne ciliatis; stigmate subtrilobo.—Ovalau (U.S. Expl. Iixped.). 

“A close congener of ©. disticha, from which it is distinguished by its much smaller and crowded 
ovate and somewhat tapering leaves, of a rather coriaceous texture, very obscurely punctate, and on petioles 
of greater pfoportionate length.” A. Gray. 
Hooker and Arnott’s O.(?) impuneta, from Tahiti, must be close to this, but there are no specimens 
of it in Hooker’s herbarium; and 1 do not find in any other collection specimens of a Tahitian Caseajia. 
The two authors themselves were doubtful about the genus. 
Orvo XLIV. BALANOPHOREZ:. 
The position of this Order in the Nataral System (represented in Polynesia by Balanophora fungosa, 
Forst., of the trepical islands, and Dactylanthus Taylori, Hook. fil., of New Zealand) has giyen rise to much 
discussion, and is still unsettled. Balanophoree have been regarded as Acotyledons, Monocotyledons, and 
Dicotyledons, but they are now generally regarded as Exogens, J. Hooker, one of the latest writers on 
the subject, compares them (Linn, Soe. Trans. vol. xxii. p. 21) to Haloraginee ; but in his subsequently 
published * Handbook of the New Zealand Flora,’ he places them at the end of his Subclass Incomplete, 
near Chloranthacee and Piperacee, where Bartling (Ordines Plantarum, 1830, p. 79) had previously re- 
ferred them, whilst inserting Waloragee amongst the Calyciflore. Regarding the more intimate relation- 
