The miscellaneous botanical works of Robert Brown/Volume 2/Characters and description of Limnanthes, a new genus of plants allied to Floerkia
CHARACTERS AND DESCRIPTION
OF
LIMNANTHES,
A NEW GENUS OF PLANTS
ALLIED TO
FLOERKEA.
BY
ROBERT BROWN, Esq., V.P.L.S.
(Read at the Linnean Society, June 18th, 1833.)
LONDON.
1833.
CHARACTERS AND DESCRIPTION
OF
LIMNANTHES.
A paper was read, entitled "Characters and Description of Limnanthes, a new genus of plants allied to Floerkea" by Robert Brown, Esq., V.P.L.S.
For specimens of the plant described the writer is indebted to the Horticultural Society, and to Mr. David Douglas, F.L.S., by whom it was recently discovered in California.
Mr. Brown was led more particularly to examine Limnanthes, from its resemblance to Floerkea of Willdenow, a genus which he had many years since investigated without being able to determine its place in the natural system. Examination proved these two plants to be so nearly akin, that they might perhaps be included in the same genus. They are here, however, separated, and the two genera are considered as forming a family distinct from all those at present known.
The place of this new family (Limnantheæ) is not absolutely determined; but it is suggested that in two remarkable points of its structure, namely, the presence of glands subtending the alternate filaments, and the existence of a gynobase, it more nearly approaches to Hypogynous families than to Perigynous, with which it has hitherto been associated.
The following are the characters of the Natural Order, and of the two Genera forming it.
Limnantheæ.
Flos completus, regularis. Calyx 3—5-partitus, æstivatione valvatâ, persistens. Petala 3—5, marcescentia. Stamina 6—10, insertione ambiguâ (hypo-perigyna), marcescentia. Filamenta distincta, 3—5 sepalis opposita basi extus glandulâ munita. Ovaria 2—5, sepalis opposita, cum stylo communi 2—5-fido mediante gynobasi connexa, monosperma; ovulo erecto, nucleo inverso. Achenia subcarnosa. Semen exalbuminosum. Embryo rectus; radicula infera.
Herbæ (Americæ septentrionalis, paludosæ) glaberrimæ, alternifoliæ, exstipulatæ, foliis divisis, pedunculis unifloris, ebracteatis, apice dilatato basin turbinatam calycis simulante.
Limnanthes.
Calyx 5-partitus. Petala 5, calyce longiora, æstivatione contortâ. Stamina 10. Ovaria 5.
Herba (Limnanthes Douglasii, Americæ occidentali-borealis) foliis bipinnatifidis, pinnis suboppositis segmentis alternis.
Floerkea. Willd.
Calyx 3-partitus. Petala 3, calyce breviora. Stamina 6. Ovaria 2 (raro 3).
Herba (Americæ orientali-borealis) foliis pinnatifidis, segmentis indivisis.