MR. J. MIERS ON THE FAMILY OF TRIURIACE^. 47 



guished, nor any mark of hilurn, as described by Capt. Champion. The inner space is 

 wholly filled by a translucent, hyaline nucleus, of so firm a texture, that the hard testa 

 may be broken, without rupturing it ; it is quite free, or perhaps connected by a mere 

 point, at the apex of the testa. This nucleus is covered by a thin transparent integu- 

 ment, which is marked with large and somewhat longitudinally hexagonal reticulations, 

 through the areoles of which are seen a number of included spherules of small size, and 

 on making sections in different directions across this nucleus, it will be found to consist of 

 an aggregation of homogeneous, spheroidal, or rather angular cells, which, by pressure, 

 exude a transparent oil, and a quantity of most minute dark grains of solid matter : the 

 cells appear all of equal size, and this arrangement was found to be constant in upwards 

 of thirty very careful sections in various directions, sometimes in clean longitudinal slices 

 cut parallel with the axis, or transversely, by which the whole internal structure was made 

 distinctly apparent : these again were subjected to the compressorium, and examined under 

 the simple and compound microscope of considerable power, but every effort to detect the 

 slightest indication of a distinct embryo, or even to find one cell darker or larger than the 

 others, has completely failed. The uniformity of these results, obtained from the seeds of 

 the two species of Sciaphila, those of Hyalisma, and also of another genus yet to be 

 described, warrants the conclusion that the nucleus, in all these cases, is deficient of an 

 embryo. The fact that the seeds thus examined were nearly, if not entirely, ripe, is indi- 

 cated by the bursting of the utricular covering, and their detachment in many cases from 

 their basal support, both in Sciaphila and Hyalisma, as well as by the hardness and deep 

 colouring of the testa, and the firmness of the nucleus. 

 The genus Sciaphila may be characterized as follows : — 



Sciaphila, Blume. Aphylleia, Champ. 



Char. Gen. Flores monoici vel polygami. Perianthium in utroque sexu simile, 6-partitum, basi cyathi- 

 forme ; laciniis oblongis, acutis, reflexis, aestivatione valvatis, persistentibus. Masc. Stamina 6, in 

 hermaphroditis abortu 3-1, in androphorum carnosum fere sessilia; filamenta brevissima; anthera 

 transversim oblongae, quadratim 4-loculares, apice rima transversali 2-valvatim hiantes. Fcem. Ovaria 

 plurima, in gynaecium carnosum subglobosum dense aggregata, obovata, sessilia, 1-locularia ; ovulo 

 solitario erecto. Stylus lateralis fere basalis, plus minusve papilloso-subciliatus. Stigma truncatum, 

 papilloso-plumosum, raro simpliciter obtusum. Carpidia plurima, densissime aggregata, obovata, 

 styli basi persistente notata, monosperma. Pericarpium utriculare, subtenue, papilloso-rugosum, 

 sutura dorsali 2-valvatim hians. Caryopsis obovata, brevi-stipitata : endocarpium arilliforme, 8-10- 

 costatum, costis basi apiceque confluentibus, transversim cancellatis, interstitiis membranaceis. 

 Semen ovatum, basi apiceque endocarpio sufiultum et suspensum : testa colorata, testacea, striis paucis 

 longitudinalibus, aliisque creberrimis transversis scalariformibus signata, apice saturatius colorata ; 

 integumentum externum pelliculare, reticulatum, testae adnatum ; integumentum internum tenuissimum, 

 areolis hexagonoideis magnis oblongis reticulatum, nucleum arete cingens. Nucleus (embryo proto- 

 blasteus) indivisus, homogeneus, carnoso-cereus, opalinus, cellulosus; cellulis parvis, subglobosis, 

 materie grumosa succoque oleoso farctis. 



Herbae pusillce, utriusque hemisphcerm indigence, hyalince ; rhizomate fibroso ; caule erecto, simplici vel sub- 

 ramoso ; foliis paucis, bracteiformibus, alternis, ovatis, acutis, adpressis, venis destitutis, celluloso- 

 rugosis; floribus simpliciter spicatis, monoids, $ superioribus, § inferioribus ; pedunculis l-floris, 

 basi bracteatis; bractea/bfto conformi. 



