Gnetacee, a naked-seeded order, consisting at present 
of the genus Gnetum alone, most essentially distinguished 
from Conifere by the veining of its leaves, its jointed stems, 
zoneless wood, and more complete vascular system (for it 
certainly abounds in true spiral vessels, contrary to the ob- 
servation of Mr. Adolphe Brongniart), and forming a con- 
necting link between Piperacee and Taxinee.——-Gnetacee 
may also be compared to Garrya on account of their oppo- 
site exstipulate leaves, amentaceous unisexual flowers ap- 
pearing from the axille of connate bractee, their minute 
embryo lying in a great mass of albumen, and imperfect 
zoneless wood, which in both cases is chiefly constituted of 
woody fibre (the sides of which are marked with numerous 
brownish granules), and of annular and reticulated vessels . 
. lying scattered sparingly among the tubes of woody fibre. 
Finally, Henslovia, an imperfectly known genus, with 
regularly zoned wood filled with dotted ducts, like those of 
Ulmus, is not to be overlooked in comparing Garrya with 
other genera, on account of its imperfect unisexual flowers 
and opposite exstipulate leaves; but the Natural order 
(Hensloviacee) of which it must be considered the type, is 
too little known to enable us to carry the comparison 
further. 
Garrya, then, proves to be essentially different from any 
known order, and to constitute the commencement of a new 
natural groupe, to which the following characters may be 
assioned. 
GARRYACEZ. 
. Dicotyledones, incomplete, rectembriw, inarticulate ; 
ligno exogeno, ezonato ; folis oppositis, exstipulatis ; floribus 
unisexualibus, monochlamydeis.; ovario infero, monocarpo, 
oligospermo ; ovulis pendulis; embryone minimo, in basi 
albuminis carnosi ; germinatione intraseminali.—— Cupuli- 
feris affines, easque cum Comiferis connectentes per Chlo- 
rantheas in Gnetaceis transeuntes.. 
F ig. l represents a barren flower; 2, an anther; 3, a 
fertile flower ; 4, a vertical section of the latter. 
