118 FLORA VITIENSIS. 
pallidioribus; petalis ovato-triangularibus; ovario 12-15-loculari; stigmate obscure oo-radiato, in 
floribus foemineis depressis, in fl. masculis stylopodio conico imposito; drupa obovata obscure 12-15- 
costata,— Viti Levu (Seemann! n. 208). 
I have named this second species in honour of the illustrious founder of the genus, Professor Asa 
Gray. It is a small tree, ~ Petioles about a foot long, petiolules 13 inch long, or even shorter. The largest 
(upper) leaflets 6=7 inches long, and 23 tmehes broad. Tlowers greenish, the umbels on very long (1-14 
foot long) peduncles, the whole inflorescence forming a gigantic compound umbel, 
Exrranation or Prate XXII,, representing Plerandra Grayi,ig. 1, a male flower, the calyptrate 
petals just pushed off; 2, ovary ; 3 and 4, sections of ovary :—all, eacept Hig. 1, slightly magnified. 
e . 
The singular genus Meryta, Forst., which was shown by me (Bonplandia, 1862, p. 294:) to be identical 
with Botryodendrum, Endl., will probably be found in Viti, as it has been met with m New Zealand, Nor- 
folk Island, the Isle of Pines, the Tongan, Samoan, and Society Islands. The position of Meryta in the 
Natural System is as yet undecided. Most authors, following Endlicher, refer it to Avaliacee. Agardh 
(Theoria Syst. Plant. p. 231) is inclined to regard it as a separate Natural Order, analogous to Juglandee 
and /Tippomanee, and closely allied to Aruliacee, of which, he says, it is a lower, diclinous, and apetalous 
type. We have diclinous genera in Hederacee (Oreopanax for instance), but all the genuine Hederacee 
have a polypetalous corolla, and thus AZeryta, if admitted, would be the only apetalous genus. Another 
peculiarity of Meryta is its highly-developed and yalyate calyx, which removes it entirely from Hederacee, 
and shows it to be a member of the Natural Order Haloraginee. The two Forsters placed Meryta in 
Diecia Triandria and Solander, who, in his unpublished Flora, gave it the name “ Meara,” in Diacia Te- 
trandria. In the male flower there seem to be normally 4 ealyx-lobes, and opposite to them 4 stamens; in 
the female flowers 8 calyx-lobes and 8 stigmas; but these numbers vary by abortion or excess. The generic 
character would thus be remodelled :— 
Meryta, Forst. Char. Gen. t. 60 (Botryodendrum, Endl. Fl. Norf. p. 62; .Gen. Plant, n. 4568. Neara, 
Sol. Prim. Fl. Ins, Pacif. (ined.) p. 839). Flores polygamo-dioici, Mase.: Calyx 3-4-partitus, laciniis 
estivatione valvatis, Stamina 3-4, toro glanduleformi inserta, calycis laciniis opposita; filamenta, fili- 
formia; anther 2-loculares, introrse, longitudinaliter dehiseentes. Ovarii rudimentum nullum. Her- 
maphr.; Calyx tubo eum oyario connato, limbo supero, supra ovariuam producto 5-9-, vulgo 8-partita, 
patente. Corolla OQ. Stamina 5-9, disci epigyni margini inserta, calycis laciniis opposita, iisdem breviora, 
patentia, Ovarium inferum, 5—9-, vulgo 8-loculare. Ovula in loculis solitaria, pendula, anatropa; rhaphe 
ventrali, Styli 5-9, vulgo 8, intus stigmatosi, stellatim patentes. Drupa baccata, ovoidea vy. oblonga, 
ealycis limbo coronata, 5—9-locularis, loculis 1-spermis. Semina inversa. Embryo in axe albuminis eylin- 
draceus, curvatus; radicula supera.—Arbores mediocres, trunco elato simplici gracili, apice in ramos sim- 
plices diyiso; foltis in apicibus ramorum alternatim approximatis, simplicibus penninerviis, capitulis florum 
involueratis in paniculum terminalem dispositis. 
1, M. lanceolata, Porst. Char. Gen, p. 120. t. 60; Prodr. n. 558; Icon. (ined.) t. 299; Guill. Zeph. 
Tait. p. 76. Neara longifolia, Sol. Prim, Ins. Fl. Pacif. p. 339 (ined.). Botryodendrum Taitense, Guill, 
Zeph, Tait. p. 55 (sine char.); Nouv, Ann, Scienc. Nat, vol, vii. p. 849; A. Gray, Bot. Wilkes, p. 731, tab. 
96. B. cerberoides et lancifolium, Rich in Herb. U. S. Expl. Exped.—Nomen vernac. Tahitense, teste 
Guillemin, “Toe O€ Phepara;” teste Solander, “ Epuluwhi.”—Tahiti (Forster! Banks and Solander! in 
Mus. Brit.).—It may be useful to subjoin Solander’s description of this plant, extracted from his MS, 
Flora :— 
“Nears (Neapés,=recens, novus). Diweia Tetrandria. Mas.: Cal. nullus. Cor. petalula quatuor, 
oblonga, plana, acutiuscula, mqualia. Stam. filamenta quatuor, filiformia, corolla longiora, divaricata. An- 
there oblong, erectre. Hemina in distineta planta, Cal. perianthium octo-dentata: dentibus ovatis, acutis, 
parvis, subgequalibus, Cor. nulla, Pist. germen inferum, saegeaio-etat om magnum, Styli nulli. Stiq- 
mata octo, reflexa, supra canaliculata, Per, subrotundum, glabrum, carnosum? octo-loculare. Sem. soli- 
taria de apice loculamentorum pedicello dependentia. Fructificatio hujus generis preecipue quoad fructum 
melius extricanda. 
Nuara longifolia, ms, p, 1451. “Epuluw hi,” Zuhitensibus. Hab. in Tahiti. Fruter altus, totus 
glabratus, Neri seu Plumieri facie. Folia humerosa, circa apices ramorum sparsa, petiolata, oblan- 
ceolata, acuta, begerrima, elaberrinia, coriacea, pedalia et longiora; rachi lata, parum convexa, utrinque 
simili. Petioli palmares, rotundato-depressi. Panicule terminales, erectie, pedunculate, florum maseu- 
lorum magne, ramosissine ; femineorwm longe, angustiores: ramulis apice florigeris. Pedunculi crassitie 
digiti minimi, palmares. Jaseuli flores eirciter octo vel decem, ageregati inter singulam Squamam seu brae- 
teum late ovatam acutam carnosam carinatam, in medio etiam carina transversali ruguldsa preeditam ; his 
bracteis ramuli panicule fere cooperti. Calyx nullus. Corolla campanulata, interdum compressa, tetra- 


