lanica, Pers. Synojjs. vol. i. p. 42. Ixia puinila, Ford. Comm. Goett. vol. ix. p. 20. t. 8. I. Magellanica, Lam. III. vol. i. p. 109. Moreea Magellanica, Willd. Sj). PI. vol. i. p. 241. Galaxia obscura, Car. Diss. vol. vi. p. 341. 1. 189. f. 4. (Sisyrincliium pumilum, Tab. CXXIX.)
Hab. Strait of Magalhaens and throughout Fuegia, on the mountains, Commerson, Banks and Solauder, and all succeeding voyagers.
The accompanying plate and analysis of this curious little plant represent ah its characters, and especially those which have induced me to retain the genus which the illustrious Jussieu formed, but which has not been adopted by any succeeding author. It is to be distinguished from Sisyrinchium by its very remarkable habit, coriaceous perianth, and, more especially, by the capsule dehiscing at the apex, and the ovules and seeds occupying only the lower hah of each placentiferous dissepiment. To the southward of the Strait of Magalhaens, where SisyrincMa do not extend, this little plant represents that genus, and is also the analogue of the Libert'ue of New Zealand.
The curious and beautiful distichous arrangement of the foliage, is characteristic of this and of some other especially alpine Antarctic plants, belonging to several natural orders, amongst the majority of the species of which such a foliation is foreign or very rare. Thus, in Cyperacea it is seen in Oreobolus pectinatm (pt. 1. t. 49); amongst Rest iacea, in Gaimardia pallida (p. 86); amongst Alwnacea, in Tetroncium Hagellanicum (t. 128); and amongst Juncea, in the Peruvian Distichya muscoides, Nees and Meyen (Nov. Act. Acad. Caes. vol. xix. Suppl. p. 77), which is probably the Goudotia Tolimensis, Decaisne (Arm. Sc. Nat. ser. 3. vol. iv. p. 83. t. 4). This tendency to assume a certain habit, which these otherwise wholly dissimilar plants present, is perfectly analogous to what occurs even more conspicuously in the vegetation of the Cape of Good Hope and Australia ; and one of the most singular phenomena of the vegetable kingdom.
Plate CXXIX. Fig. 1, braeteæ and flower; fig. 2, expanded flower; fig. 3, stamens, styles and stigmata; fig. 4, ripe capsule; fig. 5, the same burst open; fig. 6, one valve of the same, showing the insertion of the seeds; fig. 7, a seed removed; fig. 8, vertical section of the same; fig. 9, embryo (the figures 8 and 9 are inadvertently transposed):—magnified.
LII. SMILACEÆ, Br.
1. CALLIXENE, Comm.
1. Callixene marginata, Commerson, ex Juss. Gen. n. 41. Lam. Illust. Gen. t. 248. Gaud, in Ann. Sc. Nat. vol. v. p. 101. t. 2. f. 2, et in Freyc. Toy. Bot. p. 133. D'Urv. in Mem. Soc. Linn. Paris, vol. iv. p. 604. Enargea marginata, Banks et Sol. MSS. in Bill. Banks, cum icone, et in Gartner de Fruct. vol. i. p. 283. t. 59. f. 3.
Hab. Strait of Magalhaens and throughout Fuegia, Commerson, Banks and Solander, 8fc, Falkland Islands, most abundant, Gaudichaud,, and all succeeding voyagers.
A very elegant little plant, remarkable, especially in the Falkland Islands, for its very sweet-scented flowers.
The extrorse anthers of this genus have been hitherto overlooked, from the versatde nature of then attachment. The embryo, described as amphitropal, at first is nearly atropal; but apparently during the maturation of the ovarium the seed becomes partially inverted, so as to be placed at right angles with the funiculus, and the embryo is consequently heterotropal.
Callixene is an Antarctic-American, and New Zealand genus. From the latter country Mi'. Colenso has sent the C. parvifiora, Hook. fil. (Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 632), which grows at the foot of large Beech trees, lying prostrate
