' Botanical Periodicals^ 165 



and the light,' is seen to have a thin pellucid margin. Petioles (d) from 

 three fourths of an inch to an inch long, hairy like the stem. Male 

 racemes {e) apparently always solitary, axillary, hairy, often compound 

 at the base : pedicels (/) branched, each with a lanceolate bractea {g). 

 Perianth {h) cup-shaped, deeply six-partite, the segments (i) spreading, 

 oblong, yellow-green. Stamens {k) six, opposite to the divisions of the 

 perianth." 



The Botanical Magazine, for June, contains Cjcas circinalis (cz>c«5,a circle; 

 ring-like joints of the trunk). A palm well known in the Molucca Islands, 

 where the fruit is eaten, and sago said, but erroneously it is believed, to be 

 taken from the trunk. The leaves of this palm are used by the Thomaean 

 Catholics of Malabar, as those of the date palm (Phoe'nix dactylifera) are 

 by the Catholics of Europe, on Palm Sundays, and by the Jews on the feasts 

 of the Passover. In a botanical point of view, the Cjcas circinalis is inte- 

 resting, as forming the connecting link between Monocotyledones and Di- 

 cotyledones. " Linnaeus ranked the Cycas among the palms, but observed, 

 * Foliatio circinalis more Filicum peragitur' [It puts forth a circular foli- 

 ation after the manner of ferns] j Jussieu and Ventenat, along with the 

 ferns ; Jacquin, in an artificial system, considered it to belong to the class 

 Dice'cia, and order Polyandria ; Smith looked upon it, along with Zamia, as 

 constituting an intermediate order between the Palmae and the Filices. In 

 Persoon's Synopsis, the natural order Cycadeae is established; and the 

 place of it suggested, corresponding with the ideas just mentioned of Sir 

 James Smith. Our learned countryman, Mr. Brown, in his inestimable 

 Prodromus Florce Novcb Holldndice, has placed the order the last of the 

 Monocotyledones, immediately before the Dicotyledones; calling the em- 

 bryo, indeed, pseudo-dicotyledonous. The true structure of this embryo is 

 now completely ascertained by the labours of Du Petit Thouars, and the 

 late admirable Richard, and this latter has determined it to have the closest 

 affinity with the dicotyledonous plants ; and amongst them, with the Coni- 

 ferae, near which he consequently places the order. Here, however, it must 

 be acknowledged, that the natural habit and aspect of the vegetation are 

 sacrificed to minute differences in the fructifica- 

 tion. In the structure of the stem, in the mode 

 of growth, in the situation and appearance of the 

 leaves, the Cycas has the closest affinity with the 

 palms, and is in these particulars as far removed 

 as can be from the pines.*' Franciscea (Francis, 

 Emperor of Germany) Uopeana, (Mrs. Thomas 

 Hope of Deepdene) {Jig. 68.) ; Scrophularineae. 

 " A most interesting and desirable plant ; for not 

 only are the flowers of a rich purple blue colour, 

 . but they are excessively fragrant." tEnothera . 

 Lindleyw, introduced by Mr. David Douglas, from 

 the north-west coast of America, and the spe- 

 cific name given, at his request, in honour of 

 John Lindley, Esq. F.R.S. L.S. &c., recently ap- 

 painted botanical professor in the London Uni- 

 versity. 



The Botanical Register, for May, contains Agave geminiflora (figured in 

 Gard. Mag., vol. ii. p. 96.\ Twin-flowered Agave. A South American lilia- 

 ceous plant, with rush-looking leaves, and a flower stem which has grown 

 as high as 24 ft. at Lainate, near Milan, and 14 ft. high in Mr. Knight*s 

 nursery in the King's Road. " In the gardens both of this country and of 

 the Continent, it was, before flowering, confounded with Buonapartea 

 juncea, a totally different plant, resembling this in nothing but the nar- 



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