344 Excerpta Botanica. 



interesting observations of the luminous properties of Zoophytes. 

 At the same time, it does not appear that Mr. Landsborough, in com- 

 municating his observations, has laid any claim to priority. Not 

 having seen Mr. Hassall's paper, his record of phenomena of the same 

 class which have come under his personal notice has still its indepen- 

 dent value. The observations of each of our correspondents will be 

 most acceptable to the lovers of natural history ; and the degree of 

 originality which they may possess will no doubt be duly estimated 

 by those who are most extensively acquainted with what has been 

 written upon the subject. Both agree in stating that the inquiry was 

 suggested to them by the remark of Mr. Stewart. — Ed.] 



XLV. — Excerpta Botanica, or abridged Extracts translated 

 from the Foreign Journals, illustrative of, or connected with, 

 the Botany of Great Britain. By W. A. Leighton. Esq.. 

 B.A., F.B.S.E., &c. 



No. 7* Notes on the genus Corylus. By Ed. Spach. (Ann. 

 des Sc, Nat. n. s. xvi. 98.) 



Generic Characters. 



Flores monoici, hiemales, foliis multo praecociores : masculi 5- ad 8- 

 andri, aperianthi, in amenta squamosa, ebracteolata, cylindracea, 

 gracilia, multiflora, jam sestate praeteriti anni nascentia moxque 

 perulis denudata dispositi; fceminei perianthio adnato praediti, 

 staminibus (imo rudimentariis) omnin6 orbati, in glomerulos 

 parvos sub-multifloros, sub anthesi gemmaceos sessiles perulis 

 (per acta anthesi tandem deciduis) obtectos, post anthesin de- 

 mum in ramulum foliatum excrescentes aggregati, singuli in- 

 volucrati. 



Amenta mascula lateralia v. lateralia terminaliaque (in ramulis prae- 

 teriti anni), e singulis gemmis ad rachin breviusculam nunc 

 gemina (rar6 solitaria), nunc 3 ad 6-spicata, jam virginea pen- 

 dula. Squamae staminiferce pluriseriatim imbricatae, uniflorae, 

 concavae, unguiculatae, haud peltatae, subverticales, subcoriaceae, 

 ciliolatse, staminibus longiores, cuneato-obovatse, mucronatae, 

 antice appendicibus 2 (squamae subconformibus et paulo longi- 

 oribus) inferne cum ungue confluentibus instructae. Stamina 

 secus squamarum basin inordinatim inserta. Filamenta brevia, 

 capillaria, indivisa, aestivatione recta. Antherae monothecae, 

 ellipticae, 2-valves, dorso affixae, apice barbataa. [Filamentis 

 indlvisis, antheris monothecis, staminibusque igitur quasi di- 

 midiatis, Corylus a caeteris affinibus generibus omnibus differt.] 



Glomeruli fceminei solitarii, sub anthesi laterales (ad ramulos praeteriti 

 anni, nunc ex iisdem axillis ac amenta mascula, nunc ex axillis 

 inferioribus, semper autem ex aliis gemmis), squamosi. lnvo- 

 lucra (sub anthesi minima, perulis obtecta, setulis rigidis si- 

 mul ac ovaria densissime vestita) subcampaniformia, varie divisa, 

 in rachi brevissima spicata, imbricata, geminatim inserta, plera- 

 que postea abortientia ; par quodvis bractea solitaria herbacea 



