Stamina exserta. Filamenta medio v. juxta basin tubi inserta, filiforioia. Antheræ sagittatae, medio stigmati cohærentes, lobis posticis polline destitutis.
Ovaria 2, v. 1, biloculare. Stylus 1. Stigma dilatatum.
Squamæ 5, hypogynæ, distinctæ, v. connatæ.
Folliculi 2, distincti, v. cohærentes.
Habitus. Frutices volubiles. Folia opposita. Flores 65] cymosi, v. racemosi, racemis sæpe compositis, terminates v. interpetiolares, parvi, colore in variis vario.
Patria. America Meridionalis et Australasia.
Obs. The American species of this genus, viz. Echites corymbosa Jacq. floribunda Sw. and spicata Jacq. differ considerably from the rest, which are natives of New Holland and New Zealand. Among these, the only published species is Periploca capsularis, Forst. prod. n. 126. When the fruit of all has been examined, they will probably be divided in the following manner:
† Americanæ. Ovariis duobus. Folliculis distinctis.
†† Australasienses. vario biloculari. Folliculis longitudinaliter cohaerentibus.
The genus is named in memory of Dr. James Parsons, the author of a Dissertation on the Analogy between the Propagation of Animals and that of Vegetables, and of an unfinished work, entitled, "The Microscopical Theatre of Seeds." The Parsonsia of Brown, which Linnæus reduced to Lythrum, is a species of Cuphea.
66] LYONSIA.
Char. Corolla infundibuliformis, fauce tuboque esquamatis, limbo 5partito, recurvo, laciniis aequilateris : æstivatione valvata.
Stamina exserta. Filamenta medio tubo inserta, fillformia. Antheræ sagittatæ, medio stigmati cohærentes, lobis posticis polline vacuis.
Ovarium biloculare. Stylus 1, filiformis, apice dilatato.
Stigma subconicum.
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