without any apparent Action of Pollen. 511 
absence of male flowers of the plant itself or of others related to it, and the 
fact of the stigma remaining so long unchanged, and not exhibiting the sym- 
ptoms usually seen in stigmas after having been acted upon by pollen, I can 
arrive,—especially after the length of time during which I have watched it,—at 
no other conclusion than that pollen is not essential to the perfecting its seeds ; 
but if an external agent be necessary, and really act upon the stigma, I am 
unable to say what that agent is or how it acts. I might mention a view which 
I at one time entertained, namely, that the viscid fluid which issues from the 
glands situated below the ovarium might produce some effect by exciting the 
action of the pistillum; and this view received some support from finding the 
young stigina often smeared with the fluid. That there is some specific action 
on the ovula I think there can be no doubt ; for, as in most other plants, some 
of the ovula are frequently abortive. 
My object being merely to state the facts observed respecting this plant, 
without the intention of advancing any opinion on the various theories of 
vegetable impregnation, I shall conclude by merely observing, that the 
absence of pollen in this instance is irreconcileable with the theory that 
every grain of pollen furnishes a germ, and that the ovulum is merely à 
matrix to receive and nourish it till it becomes a perfect seed. 
It is difficult to say whether this plant should be placed in any of the 
numerous genera of Euphorbiaceae already described, the fruit scarcely dif- 
fering from that of several well-known genera of the order: from its habit I 
had considered it to bear some affinity to Sapium, and for that reason had 
given it the name of Sapium Aquifolium ; but on reviewing all its characters, 
I am now inclined to believe it to be a new genus, to which the name of 
Colebogyne may be given. 
Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, 
June 3, 1839. 
