514 Prof. Don’s Monograph of the Genus Disporum. 
from that family to the Smilaceæ, the chain of connexion between them being 
rendered complete by the intervention of a new genus, of which Streptopus 
lanuginosus is the type. 
In the normal group of Melanthaceæ, which is principally confined to 
North America, the floral organs are persistent, and the partial decomposition 
of the trimerous pericarpium is almost universal. The Melanthacee appear 
naturally to divide themselves into three groups, namely, the Melantheæ or 
Veratree, in which the carpels are but partially concrete, the pericarpium 
capsular, with usually septicidal dehiscence, the flowers frequently unisexual, 
the perianthium less coloured, and constantly, as well as the stamens, per- 
sistent, and the rhizoma fibrous; secondly, the Colchiceæ, in which the peri- 
anthium is more highly developed, the sepals furnished with long claws often 
combined into a tube, the styles long, the carpels concrete, the pericarpium 
capsular with septicidal dehiscence, the rhizoma bulbous, and the floral axis 
naked and hypogæous; and, thirdly, the Anguillurieæ, having the floral 
organs frequently deciduous, the styles short, as in the first group, the car- 
pels completely concrete, the pericarpium capsular or baccate, with loculi- 
cidal dehiscence, a bulbous or fibrous rhizoma, and a leafy axis. The genus 
Colchicum establishes an evident relationship through Sternbergia and Crocus 
between Melanthacece, Amaryllideæ, and Iridew. The present genus connects 
the family with Smilaceæ, and Tofieldia as clearly with Junceæ, whilst a 
comparison of the structure of Uvularia and Erythronium fully makes out 
their affinity with Liliaceæ or Tulipacee. In Uvularia, which is closely allied 
to Disporum, the perianthium is also campanulate, with imbricate æstivation ; 
the stamens adhere to the sepals at the base, and fall off together; the peri- 
carpium is capsular, with polyspermous cells and loculicidal dehiscence; the 
ovula, whieh are arranged in two rows, are cuneate, angular, and carunculate 
at the apex, with the raphe forming an elevated ridge along their inner side. 
The flowers are axillary and solitary, and the capsule is turbinately triangular, 
and sometimes, as in Uvularia grandiflora, three-lobed. The seeds are de- 
scribed by Linnæus, Jussieu, Smith, and others, as arillate, but incorrectly, 
they being furnished merely with a fleshy appendage at their apex, resulting 
from an enlargement of the testa at that point. The same thing occurs in 
Erythronium, a genus belonging to the Liliaceæ or Tulipaceæ, and which, 
