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II. On CyrtandracecB, a new Natural Order of Plants. By 

 William Jack, M.D. Communicated by Aylmer Bourke Lam- 

 bert, Esq. F.R.S. V.P.L.S. 



Read May 7, 1822. 



In examining some of the numerous Sumatran species of Cyr- 

 tandra, I was lately led to observe the great inaccuracy of 

 Forster's description and figure of the fruit, which has been the 

 cause of deception in regard to its natural affinities. His error 

 consists in representing the septum as complete, with adnate pla- 

 centae similar to what obtains in some genera belonging to Scro- 

 phularina ; whereas, in reality, it is bipartite through the axis of 

 the fruit, and the placentae are no other than the revolute lobes of 

 the septa. This peculiar structure is more distinct in the nearly 

 related genus of Didymocarpus (Mai. Misc. vol. i.), which has 

 capsular fruit, and where the lobes of the contrary dissepiment 

 so completely bipart the cells as to give it the appearance of 

 being quadrilocular. It is obvious that this character is totally 

 inconsistent with that of Scrophularince, and it does not accord 

 exactly with any of the Jussiaean orders. Didymocarpus is re- 

 lated to Bignoniacea through Incarvillea, but is not admissible 

 into that family as defined by Mr. Brown in his Prod. Fl. Nov, 

 Holl. 1 am therefore inclined to think that Cyrtandra, Didy- 

 mocarpus, and another genus, which I shall here present under 

 the name of Loxonia, which agree remarkably in general habit 

 as well as in carpological structure, may properly form a small 



and 



