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XXIII. Description of the Female Flower and Fruit of Rafflesia Arnoldi, 

 with Remarks on its Affinities; and an Illustration of the Structure of 

 Hydnora africana. By Robert Brown, Esq., V.P.L.S. 



Read June 17th, 1834. 



1 HE principal object of the present communication is to complete, as far as 

 my materials enable me, the history of Rafflesia Arnoldi, the male flower of 

 which is described and figured in the 13th volume of the Society's Transac- 

 tions. 



The specimens from which this additional information has been obtained, 

 as well as those formerly described, were received from the late Sir Stamford 

 Raffles ; and for the drawings so beautifully representing their structure, I 

 am indebted to the same distinguished botanical painter and naturalist, who 

 obligingly supplied those already published. 



In my former essay some observations were made on the affinities of Rafflesia, 

 a subject on which I could not then speak with much confidence. From such 

 knowledge as I possessed, however, I ventured to state that this genus appeared 

 to be most nearly allied to Asarince, and especially to Cytinus, on the one 

 hand, and on the other to Aphyteia or Hydnora, an equally remarkable para- 

 site of South Africa, but the structure of which was at that time very imper- 

 fectly understood. 



An examination of complete specimens of Hydnora africana has confirmed 

 this view ; and as there are points in its structure which seem to throw some 

 light on one of the most difficult questions respecting Rafflesia, I have in- 

 cluded an account of this genus in the present paper. 



The accompanying drawings of Hydnora africana, which so admirably dis- 

 play its structure, were kindly made from these specimens by my lamented 

 friend and fellow-traveller Mr. Ferdinand Bauer, when he revisited En- 

 gland in 1 824 ; they were probably the last drawings he ever made of an 



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