188 ON THE PROTEACE.E OF JUSS1EU.
in the style being deciduous, and perhaps also in the num- ber and form of its seeds. If these are but two in number, it would be still more nearly related to Orites ; but some- thing in its whole appearance, and especially its uncom- monly large bractese, indicates its being a distinct genus.
According to Labillardiere, it is a native both of New Caledonia and the south-west coast of New Holland : but as I am acquainted with no plant of the order, which has so wide a range as this, and as it may be presumed the specimens from New Holland were very imperfect, other- wise so remarkable a plant would surely have found a place in the body of his work, I may be permitted to question the accuracy of the statement. I confess however that I know no plant of Lewins Land with which this could be confounded.
Roupala pinnata. Lam. Illust. Gen. \,p. 243, n. 1282. Poiref, Encyc. Botan. 6, p. 317. Budge, PL Guian. 25, t. 38.
There can be little doubt of this plant constituting a dis- tinct genus; but its fruit being entirely unknown, it is better to place it among those which require a further ex- amination. It was referred to Rhopala at a time when that genus w T as not at all understood. In its compound 223] leaves, its irregular calyx, and even in some degree in the glands subtending the ovarium, it seems to approach more nearly to Gevuina ; and I am therefore inclined to think its fruit will be found to be a drupa, and not a folli- culus as that of Rhopala. The whole plant however is so remarkable, that I here add a description taken from an excellent specimen, in Mr. Lambert's Herbarium, collected by the unfortunate Martin in Guiana ; where it seems to have been first found by Richard.
Frutex? v. Arbor. Bamuli teretes, tomento minuto cinerascentes. Folia alterna, abrupte pinnata, 3-4-juga. Foliola opposita, petiolata, late ovata, obtusa quandoque acutiuscula, integerrima, glaberrirna, super nitida, subter fere opaca, venulis anastomozantibus parum emersis reticu- lata : dum 3^ uncias longa 2 uncias lata. Petioli partiales
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