232 Mr. Brown's Account of a new Genus of Plants, 



Until these points are ascertained, and the seeds have been 

 examined, the question of the affinities of the genus will proba- 

 bly remain undetermined. In the mean time it may be remarked, 

 that as far as the structure of the fruit of Rafflesia is yet under- 

 stood, it may be considered as in some degree confirming the pro- 

 posed association of the genus with Asarina, ; especially with Cy- 

 tinus, in which the ovarium is unilocular, with numerous parietal 

 placentae extending nearly to the centre of the cavity, and having 

 their surfaces covered with minute ovula. 



From the appearance of the ripe fruit of Aphyteia, a similar 

 structure may be supposed to exist also in that genus, of which, 

 however, the unimpregnated ovarium has not been examined. 

 But these two genera are parasitic on roots, and have also their 

 stigmata remarkably developed ; and although 'Rafflesia probably 

 differs from both of them in having a superior ovarium, I have 

 endeavoured to show that this difference alone would not form an 

 insuperable objection to their affinity. 



EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES 



RELATING TO 



RAFFLESIA ARNOLD!. 



Plate XV. 



The expanded Flower reduced to somewhat less than -J- of its na- 

 tural size ; the scale given on the plate being too lono* by 



nearlv f. 



XVI. 



A Flower-bud covered with its bracteae, of the natural size. 



Plate 



