DR. T. ANDERSON ON THE ACANTHACER, 111 
/ 
Note on the Embryo of Ancistrocladus, By G. Bentam, P.L.S., 
and J. D. Hoox££, F.L.S. 
[Read May 7, 1863.] 
Iw the ‘Genera Plantarum,’ Part I. p. 191, we have fallen into an 
error in our description of the seed of Ancistrocladus, which error, 
as it affects the accuracy of the observations and drawings of 
so careful and excellent a botanist as Mr. Thwaites, which are 
published in our * Transactions’ (vol. xxi. p. 225. t. 24), we are 
desirous of correcting also in the Society's publications. 
In the above-mentioned paper Mr. Thwaites describes the seed, 
from living specimens, as * Semen cerebriforme, erectum ; testa 
plicato-intricata, albumen carnosum plicis involventi. Embryo 
orthotropus, clavatus; cotyledones subfoliacei, divergentes; radi- 
cula prope hilum posita." 
When drawing up the generic character of Ancistrocladus for 
our work, we examined several seeds, and found their appearance 
to be not only as described by Mr. Thwaites, but so closely to 
resemble those of Doona and other Dipterocarpee (to which order 
we referred Ancistrocladus on other grounds), that we were led 
to suspect the accuracy of Mr. Thwaites’s observation. Proceed- 
ing then to macerate the seeds, we found that in no case were 
we able to free the radicle from the supposed cotyledons, but 
that these appeared to be organically connected, whence we were 
led to describe what Mr. Thwaites called a ruminated albumen 
as contortuplicate cotyledons. 
Mr. Thwaites, on receiving the ‘ Genera Plantarum’ and obser- 
ving our error, had the kindness to send to us ripe seeds of Ancis- 
trocladus preserved in spirits, which clearly proved us to be in fault. 
We may observe that this does not affect our view of the 
affinity of the genus being with Dipterocarpee, but adds one 
more to the already great proportion of exalbuminous Natural 
Orders in which albuminous genera occur. 
Kew, May 5, 1863. 
On the Identification of the Acanthacee of the Linnean Herba- 
rium, in the possession of the Linnean Society of London. By 
T. Anprrvon, M.D., F.L.S., Officiating Superintendent of the 
Botanic Garden, Calcutta. 
[Read April 2, 1863. ] 
BEFORE leaving Engiand for India in the beginning of 1861, I 
LINN. PROC.— BOTANY, VOL. VII. L 
