t 



beautiful spots of its petals are scarcely developed. It is propagated 

 by seeds and offsets. 



We have no hesitation in uniting the two supposed species 

 F. sonchifolia and F. appendiculata ; for, after an attentive examina- 

 tion of specimens, we can discover no distinction of importance ; 

 indeed, even the white-flowered kind, F. ramosa, which is now com- 

 mon in collections, would have but slender claims to being preserved 

 if it were not for the absence of pubescence from its inflorescence. 



The genus Francoa is botanically interesting in a very high 

 degree, in consequence of the many conflicting opinions that have 

 been held regarding its position in a Natural System. M. Adrien de 

 Jussieu would have it near Crassulacese ; Dr. Hooker suggests its 

 really belonging to a section of that order ; Mr. Don combines it 

 with Galax into a distinct natural order called Galacinese, which he 

 places near Saxifragese ; M. De Candolle rejects these opinions, and 

 stations it in the vicinity of Rosaceas. We have, without examina- 

 tion, adopted in the Nixus Plant arum the first of these views ; but 

 we are bound to admit, now that we have carefully considered all the 

 points of the structure of Francoa, that we have great doubt regarding 

 the soundness of the opinion : it is true, that looking only to certain 

 parts of its structure, its resemblance to Crassulacese would seem to 

 be of a very striking nature, especially the separation of its carpella 

 when ripe, and their consequent septicidal mode of dehiscence ; but 

 if Tetilla really is allied to Francoa, as M. Adrien de Jussieu considers, 

 this character, as usual, proves of no value; and there are some circum- 

 stances at variance with the approximation, which deserve to be well 

 considered. For example, the foliage has no relation to that of any 

 known Crassulacese ; the inflorescence is equally at variance with that 

 order; neither do the carpella taper gradually into stigmata; and 

 the embryo of Francoa is exceedingly minute at the base of the albu- 

 men, instead of occupying the principal part of the interior of the 

 seed, to the almost total exclusion of albumen. On this latter account I 



we would suggest its more immediate affinity to be with Dionaea; j 



and that it is one of the genera which will, with others hereafter to 

 be discovered, complete the ordination of the albuminous cohort of 



polypetalous dicotyledons. (See Nixus Plant arum.) 





J. L. 





