ON THE PALMITE OF SOUTH AFRICA. 173 



glance through it, to make a few observations on some of the plants 

 enumerated, to which I would be anxious to see Dr. Hooker's conside- 

 ration once more directed. The views which I express I advance with 

 diffidence ; still I thought it my duty, as disciple of a science, for science' 

 sake to express them. 



Some of the seeds — in fact a great many — you sent us, have pro- 

 duced excellent acquisitions to our garden. I long for more. Having 

 my hands free, I shall be able to give excellent collections for exchange. 

 I am so anxious to stock this garden well. 



Fred. Mueller. 



On the Palmite of South Africa; by Sir W. J. Hooker, D.C.L., 



F.R.A. and L.S. 



'almita, E. Meyer in Linncea, vii. 131. Kunth, En. Plant. 



iii. 315. 



Thunb. Prodr. 66. Fl. Cap. 337. Linn. SUppl. 208. 



• Sp. 219. Rcem 



Reise, ii. 256. (Tab. Nostr. IV.) 



Hab. Rapid streams in South Africa. 

 Ad characterem cl. Meyeri adde — Ovula infra medium loculi inserta; 

 semina loculis solitaria, ascendentia ; testa cellulosa, laxa ; albumen 

 carnosum; embryo axi albuminis clavatus, ejusdem longitudinis v. 



dimidio brevior. 



There is little to add to the excellent description of E. Meyer, except 

 that the ovules are confined to the lower half of each cell, and that only 

 one ripens in each cell, which it fills. The testa of the seeds which we 

 have examined (but which are not perfectly mature) is very cellular, as 

 in other Junceat, but not at all subpubescent, as described by Meyer, 

 the appearance of pubescence being apparently due to the texture of 

 the surface. The outer membrane is loose, but neither wrinkled nor 

 produced at either extremity of the seed. The albumen is fleshy, and 



varying in lengtn irom nan 



n *A i' Q *»npln<5pfl in the axis 



extremity 



size 



differs remarkably from Juncus 



Hooker 



TV. Portion of a panicle and a leaf, nat. size. Fig. 1, flower; 



