3. HAMADBYAS, Comment.
Mores abortu dioici. Sepal-a 5-6. Petala 10-12, lineari-subulata, basi squama instmcta. — Fl. Masc. Stamina plurima, filamentia filiformibus. — Fl. Fffiii. Ovaria plurima, in capitulum globosiun disposita, stylo uncinato terminata, uuilocularia, imiovulata ; ovulo e basi loculi erecto, funiculo brevi. CarpeUa sicca, ossea, indehiscentia. — Herbse Antarctica, Bamuiculo affines, plus minusve sericea. Scapi ad apices lSJlores, flore inferiore sessili. Sepala petalaque extus pilosa.
1. Hajladkyas Magettanica, Lam.; plus minusve sericeo-pilosa, foliis rotundatis tripartitis lobis cuneatis inciso-partitis v. subintegris. H. Magellanica, Lamarck, Diet. vol. iii. p. 67. DC. Sgst. Yeg. vol. i. p. 226. Prodr. vol. i. p. 25. Delessert, Icon. Select, vol. i. t. 22.
Hab. Strait of Magalhaens ; Commerson. Mount Tarn, altitude 2000 feet; Capt. King, C. Darwin, Esq.
Staten Land, half way up the mountains ; A. Menzies, Esq. Var. /3, tomentosa; foliis argenteo-lanatis lobis cuneatis subintegris. H. tomentosa, DC. Si/st. Teg. vol. i. p. 227. Prodr. vol. i. p. 25.
Statura et prsecipue pubescentia variat, nunc tota lana lnolk' sericea obtecta, nunc glabriuscula v .sparse pilosa. Scapus folio sequans v. bis longior. Sepala petalaque extus glabra v. sericea.
These two varieties were found growing together both by Mr. Darwin and by Menzies, and are certainly not specifically distinct.
De Candolle places this genus doubtfully amongst the Anemonea ; the ovules are, however, truly erect, and the petals being furnished with a small nectariferous scale, it ought to rank very near Ranunculus, from which it only differs in habit and in the numerous petals, and perhaps also in the persistent calyx. The form of the leaves seems to me to afford the sole tangible specific character, for the species vary in the hairiness of all then-parts.
2. Hamadryas argentea, Hook. fil. ; dense argenteo-lanata, foliis obovato-cuneatis basi attenuatis profunde trifidis lobis 3-5-fidis. (Tab. LXXXV.)
Hab. Falkland Islands ; amongst grass; Captain, Sulivan, Lieut. Robinson, J. D.H.
Radix fibrosa, fibris crassis descendentibus. Folia radicalia, basi fibris petiolonim vetustorum tecta ; petioli graciles, erecti, 2-10 unc. longi, tomentosi; lamina 1-j- 2 unc. longa, coriacea, utrinque tomento argenteo-nitente vestita, segmentis obtusis. Scapus folio subsequilongus, crassitie penna? corvinaa, plantse masculae gracilior et uniflorus, foeminea? biflorus. Sepala ovata, acuta v. acuminata, extus villosa. Petala sepolis duplo longiora, sub 4 lin. longa, lineari-subulata, gradatim attenuata, basi subito contracta, quasi unguiculata, supra unguem squamam appressam gerentia trinervia, membranacea, dorso hirsuta, pallide stramiuea. Stamina 8, filamentis fihformibus. Ovaria ovata, superne in stylum imcinatum attenuata. CarpeUa turgida, ossea.
To all appearance this is a distinct species from the former, and certainly a very beautiful one ; both Mr. Darwin's and Mr. Menzies' specimens, however, of H. Magellanica, var. /3, are so s im ilarly covered with silky wool, that the form of the leaves alone serves to distinguish them. It is rare in the northern part of the islands, and a copious suite of specimens might exhibit varieties still more like the Fuegian species. I detected only one individual with male flowers, it was smaller than the females, and had slender, single-flowered peduncles.
Plate LXXXV. Fig. 1, a male plant, of the natural size; 2, a flower of the same; 3, a petal; 4, a stamen: — magnified; 5, a female plant of the natural size; 6, a flower of the same; 7, an ovarium; 8, a carpel; 9, the same cut open longitudinally showing the erect seed : — magnified.
