90 .V. w 0\ m ra and Sj„ dps of 



the leaves and flowers, the resemblance is striking. The style. 

 however, is very evident in the latter, but is almost wanting in 

 /.. Michaweii. The difference in the direction of the radicle 

 to be constant. EVom the appearance of the dried 

 . I am of opinion that the flowers in the second 

 spee pale yellow. Michaux Btatea that the peduncles are 



solitary and one-flowered ; but 1 observed his specimens to be 

 caulescent, the short assurgent stems bearing elongated one- 

 flowered peduncles, as in the southern species. 



For my first knowledge of the L. aurea 1 am indebted to 

 my friend Dr. Short of Kentucky, who shared with me the 

 Bpecimens he received from Dr. Leavenworth, its discoverer. 

 Subsequently I received some excellent specimens from Dr. 

 L. himself. Its general appearance is that of a Cardamine, 

 and I supposed it might be a species of that genus, but on ex- 

 amining the seed I was surprised to find the embryo almost 

 perfectly straight, so that the plant could not be referred to 

 either oi 1 >e Candolle'e great suborders of ( Iruciferse, the coty- 

 Iedons being decumbent in Plkirokhiz.e, and incumbent in 

 NOTORHKLfi. Indeed it is the only species belonging to this 

 family, with which I am acquainted, in which the embryo 

 jept in the earliest state) is straight.* 

 Alter I had complete.! my deseription of this plant, 1 re- 

 . <d from Dr. Short a good specimen of Cardamim wiir 

 flora^ a species which I had seen in Michaux's herbarium, 

 and which I was very desirous of examining again, and com- 

 paring with the Leavenwortbia. It proved to be a Becond 

 species of the genus, readily distinguishable by the almost 

 entire absence ol the style. 



Respecting the value of characters derived from the embryo 



the ba.-is of classification in this large order, some of the 



most distinguished modem botanists differ in opinion. Schkuhr 



. Gsertnerwere well acquainted with the principal diversi- 



tructure which the embryo in Oracifera exhibits. 



among Leguminous. 



