BELOSE'PIA (Voltz). In this genus M. Voltz ranks two of the species (B. Cur ieri and B. compressa) which form part of the Beloptera of De Blainville.
BELVISIA'CE.rE, Napoleon-Worts, a small natural order of plants, comprehending only two genera. One of these was discovered in the kingdom of Oware, by Palisot de Beauvois, who called it Napoleona in honour of Napoleon I. It was subsequently named Bet vista after its discoverer. It has been figured under the name of Napoleona imperial is in the 'Flora of Oware and Benin,' where we find the only account of it. It was discovered in the neighbourhood of the town of Oware, growing to the height of seven or eight feet, and loaded with large broad bright-blue flowers, sitting close upon the branches. They are remarkable for having a superior calyx of five pieces, together with a double monopetalous corolla, of which the outer forms a flat crenellated disk, and the interior is divided into a great number of regular narrow segments. The stamens are only five, or rather perhaps ten, united by pairs into five parcels, resembling so many petals. The stigma is peltate with five angles, and covers over tho
anthers. The fruit is said to be a berry, with a single cell, containing a parcel of seeds lying in pulp. From such an account it will be evident to the botanical reader that this must be one of the greatest curiosities in the vegetable kingdom.
Palisot de Beauvois, its discoverer, considered it the type of a new natural order allied to the Gourds ; Brown, we believe, suspects its relation to the Paasion-Flowers; Lindley originally stationed it near Styrocets ; in his Nixus,' he placed it near the Canipanulas, but in his ' Vegetable Kingdom' places it between Myrtaeem and Rhizophoraecce. The other genus belonging to this order is A steranthos, which is said by Iit..4dontaines to be a Brazilian genus, but this is doubtfuL This order has only four species.
the following spring. The larva of the Brodn.r then btcomes food for that of the Panorprs.