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 296 OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURAL FAMILY

volume of the Transactions of the Natural History Society of Copenhagen, as a distinct genus, under the name of Melanthera: and in 1803 by Richard, in Michaux's Flora Boreali-Americana, where it is called Melananthera, and 117] where the two species included by Linnaeus in his Bidens nivea are for the first time distinguished: and lastly this genus, as named and determined in the work of Michaux, is adopted by Persoon in his Synopsis.

But as both Von Rohr and Richard have given only the natural character of the genus, and the essential character proposed by Persoon is not altogether satisfactory, I have added the following, and adopted the more generally re- ceived name of

��Melananthera.

(Richard) in -Michaux Amer. ii, p. 106. Melanthera Von Rohr in Kiobenh. Naturhist. Selskab. bind, ii, hefte 1, p. 213. Amellus Browne Jam. 317. Bidentis species Linn, Caleae species Jacquin.

Involucrum duplici serie polyphyllum, subaequale. Re- ceptaculum paleaceum, convexum, paleis foliaceis. Flosculi tubulosi, uniformes, hermaphroditi. Achenium turbinatum angulatum vertice depresso. Pappus e setis (2 — 18) sca- bris, distinctis, deciduis.

Herbae (Americae aequinoctialis et temperatae)^?/^sc<?;2fes, scabrcs. Folia opposifa, indivisa v. sublobata. Capitula terminalia, pedunculis unifloris, elongatis, tematis, gemi- nisve. Involucrum foliaceum. Receptaculi hemisphcerici paleae foliolis involucri subsimiles. Corollae albidce. An- therae nigricantes, appendicibus apicis albidis, basi muticce ; paulo post expansionem corollce exsertce, dein (contractione flamentorum) fauce inclusce. Stigmata appendice acuto hispidulo, post retractionem tuhi antherarum exserta ; demum subinclusa}

1 In the extensive collection of plants made by mj lamented friend Dr. Smith, on the banks of the Congo, I have observed a Syngenesious genus, which, though belonging to Polygamia superflua and having yellow flowers, is in other respects so nearly related to Melananthera, that had it been found with

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