Chloranthus, a New Genus of Plants, Described by Olof Swartz, M. D. Communicated by Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. P. R. S.

XXXV. Chloranthus, a new Genus of Plants, described by Olof Swartz, M.D. Communicated by Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. P.R.S. Read June 21, 1787. Among the numberless vegetable productions that have appeared in the Royal Garden at Kew, is the present. It is already long since this curious plant has been introduced there as a native of China, where, we are told, the same is cultivated in the Chinese gardens, though it seems not to have any qualities either palatable or odoriferous, nor a beautiful appearance. At the first sight of the plant, there is some likeness of Viscum or Loranthus; and considering the inflorescentia, and the insertion of the antheræ, we find no less analogy; though on a nearer examination it is greatly different, and of a very intricate construction. The pains I have taken to enucleate the family relation of this hitherto unknown vegetable, have induced me, for the sake of its singularity, to present it as a new genus, of which I think the following natural character may be the most proper: *Calyx* nullus; sed *Squama* ovata, acuta, concava, cui germen insidens. *Corolla* monopetala, dimidiata, vel *Petalum* unicum, subrotundum, trilobum, convexum, lateri exteriori germinis insertum, staminiferum, deciduum. Vol. LXXVII. F f f Lobus Lobus intermedius cæteris major. Stam. Filamenta nulla. Antheræ quatuor, marginibus petali longitudinaliter accretæ, bivalves. Pist. Germen oblongum, vel obovatum diffforme, squama fere teætum, antice prominens, petaligerum. Stylus obliquus, crassus, brevisimus, angulatus. Stigmata tria, minutissima, erecta. Per. Bacca oblonga, monosperma. Semen oblongum. From this generical description the essential character is formed: Calyx nullus. Cor. Petalum trilobum lateri germinis insidens. Antheræ petalo accretæ. Bacca monosperma. This new genus is to be placed in Tetrandria Monogynia with flores incompleti, superi, next after Acæna; and amongst the Ordines naturales I think it would best take its place in the XLVIII. & next after Viscum. To distinguish this species from others, that may be discovered of the same genus, I have adopted the nomen triviale of Chloranthus inconspicuus: Its specific description is as follows: Planta herbacea. Caules plures ex radice, semipedales, patentes, suberecti, ramosiusculi, teretes, glabri. Rami oppositi, patentes, teretes, striati, glabri. Folia petiolata, decussata, opposita, lanceolato-ovata, margine serrata, nervosa, venosa, subsucculenta, glaberrima, pallide viridia. Petiolii Petiolii breviusculi, superne canaliculati, glabri. Stipulae interpetiolares, utrinque denticulis duobus minutis, membranaceae, persistentes. Flores paniculati. Panicula terminalis, erecta, simplex. Racemi (vel spicae) oppositi, decussati, erectiusculi, subfastigiati. Flores oppositi, decussati, sessiles, solitarii, minuti, magnitudine capitis aciculae, subsucculentii, ex albido lutei. Pollen flavum. Stigmata albida. Bacca nigra, magnitudine piperis. I have not been able to find any description or figure answering to this plant in the works of the East-Indian naturalists. I have only met with one Chinese drawing, in the library of Sir Joseph Banks, Bart. P. R. S. among some others of their garden plants, that seems to represent the present. It is said to be called Chu-Lan by the Chinese; but it ought not to be confounded with the Tsjialang or Camunium Chinense of Rumphius (Herb. Amboin. 1. VII. cap. xv. and Auctuarii ejusd. cap. XLVII.), the description of which seems to correspond in some parts with the Chloranthus: the first figure, however, on the eighteenth plate shews the plant of Rumphius to be the Vitex pinnata of Linnaeus. EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. (Tab. XIV.) The plant in natural size. a. A part of a racemus with flowers, magnified. b. A flower magnified, separated from the racemus, containing the pistillum, with the petalum inserted on the side of the germen. c. A petalum separately, with its four antheræ inserted on the margins of the lobes. d. The germen without the corolla. e. The germen when in flower, cut transversely, shewing the rudiment of the seed. f. The bacca, cut transversely, with one room and seed, of natural size. g. The form of the seed.