338 Mr. Griffith on the Root-Parasites referred to Rhizantheae, 



want of firmness and cohesion it differs considerably from the embryo of 

 Balanophora and Phceocordylis. So far as I have been able to judge, the 

 appearances presented by it at various stages of maturity are such as would 

 suggest a greater resemblance to a sporuliferous mass, than in any other so- 

 called Rhizantheous plant examined by me. 



Obs. III. — It appears to me to be a plant sui ordlnis, having no relation to 

 any other plant admitted into Rhizanthece, except Cynomorium* , to which it 

 seems to me to present considerable resemblance in the general structure of 

 the stamen and of the female flower. It is not, perhaps, altogether impro- 

 bable that the scales forming part of the flowers of both sexes of Cynomorium 

 may be found to have a definite relation with the stamen, and with the glan- 

 dular body from which that organ is represented as arising, and which would 

 appear to be composed of two parts. 



Obs. IV. — In bracteation, number and form of the segments of the perianth, 

 the situation of the stamina, the form of the pollen, inferior ovarium and com- 

 position of the style and stigma, it presents curious agreements with Loran- 

 thacece. And at present I would consider it (doubtfully) as the homogeneous 

 embryo form of that order, which I take to include Proteacece, Santalacece, 

 &c., and which agrees nearly with Dr. Lindley's alliance Tuhiferosce. 



There are, it will be seen, some discrepancies between my description and 

 that of Mr. Harvey, who however drew up his from recent specimens. 



^ 6. Sarcophvte. 



Sarcophyte, Sparrm. in Act. Holm, xxxvii. 300. t. 7- ex Endlicher, Genera Plant. 



73. no. 714. Meletem. Botan. fasc. 1. t. 11. 

 Ichthyosma, Schlectend. Linnnea, ii. 671. t. 8. 



Char. Gex. Flores dioici. Mas. Involucrum 3-4-phyllum, aestivatione valvatum. Columna: 

 staminece totidem, et oppositae. Antherae indefinitae, uniloculares, stipitatae, sacculi- 

 formes, circumscissae, in apice columnarum sitae. Foem. Capitula nuda. Ovaria inde- 

 finita, conglutinata ; styli (solitarii) breves, stigmatibus discoideis terminati. Fructus 

 baccatus, compositus (ovariis paruin mutatis) ; nuclei vel embryones ? tot quot ovaria. 



Planta parasitica, sicca etiam insigniter sanguinea. Caulis dodrantalis. Flores masculi 

 paniculati ; racemis squama, suffultis, in thyrsum fere congestis. Involucriyb/ia carnosa, 



* Richard, M6m. du Museum, viii. 420-424. et 431. t. 21. 



