132 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



[June 1, 1SG9. 



CLOVE-PINK SEEDS. 



REFERRING to the seeds of two species of 

 Eschscholtzia (p. 12), we ventured an observa- 

 tion which has not pleased one of our readers, per- 

 haps more. It was to the effect that there appeared 

 to be a certain type of structure which was common 

 to the seeds of closely allied plants, especially in 

 those of the same genus, often in those of allied 

 genera. The examination of the seeds of some 

 hundreds of plants led to this conclusion, which we 

 still see no reason to alter. So evident is this in 

 the Clove-pink family, or Caryophyllaceec, that we 

 can hardly detect any describable difference, in 

 many instances, between the seeds of plants be- 

 longing to the same genus. It is, nevertheless, 

 true that exceptions exist, but these are not suffi- 

 cient to affect the general conclusion that closely 

 allied seeds usually follow the same type, with 

 modifications in details. The prevailing type in 

 seeds belonging to the genera Silene, Viscaria, 

 Lychnis, Saponaria, Agrostemma, Gypsophila, and 

 Stellaria is clearly that of a reniform, or kidney- 

 shaped appearance, with a more or less warty 

 exterior. Yet .there is sufficient variety to make 



Fig. 9". Seed of Silene Armeria, x 40. 



them all of interest to the student of microscopical 

 seeds. We by no means deny that in the same 

 natural order, as in the Scrophulariacea, there are 

 %any very different types of structure, and even in 

 the Clove-pink order the Dianthus type is very 

 different from the Stellaria type. Yet, if the sceptic 



v *9n 



Fig. 98. The seed of Silene alpestris, x 40. 



will compare the seeds of Silene Armeria with those 

 of the Silene Schafta — and of Gypsophila murcdis 

 with. Gypsophila clegans, and these, again, with 



Viscaria oculata and Viscaria splendens, he will not 

 fail to recognize a family physiognomy such as we 

 contend for. 



The order of plants from which our examples are 

 taken is a very large one, and, although numerous 

 in British species, the seeds of these and many 

 other indigenous plants seem to be the least 

 known. 



Fig. 99, Seed of Viscaria oculata, x 49. 



Lobel's Catchfly (Silene Armeria) is a common 

 and favourite garden- flower (fig. 97), and the seeds 

 of the Bladder Campion (Silene inflate) and the 

 garden annual Silene Schafta very greatly resemble 

 those of the Catchfly. 



Fig. 100. Seed of Stellaria holostea, x 40. 



The seed of Silene alpestris (fig.' 98), while pos- 

 sessing in its fundamental structure a close affinity 

 to others of the genus, has in addition a winged 

 margin, which confers additional beauty upon it as 

 a microscopical object, without forfeiting its family 

 likeness. 



Fig. 101. Seed of Stellaria media, x 40. 



None of the Viscarias are British, but several 

 species arc in common cultivation, and those of 

 Viscaria oculata are figured (fig. 99). 



The Stellarias are numerous, and we present 

 figures of two, the " Stitchwort," or Satin-fiower 



