Prof. Dow's Monograph of the Genus Disporum. 523 
This genus is essentially distinguished from Schelhammera by its sessile 
biappendiculate sepals; by the stamens proceeding free from the torus, un- 
connected with the sepals; by the cells of its ovarium bearing only two 
ovula; by its somewhat baccate pericarpium ; and, lastly, by its axillary 
peduncles, which are furnished with three small verticillate bractes. The 
presence of appendages, the spreading sepals, free stamens, strophiolate seeds, 
minute embryo, axillary inflorescence, and valvular fruit remove it equally 
from Disporum. 
My acute friend Mr. Smith, of the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew, first drew 
my attention to the remarkable appendages seated at each side within the 
base of the sepals, resembling those of Parnassia. Mr. Brown having pointed 
out to me the intimate connexion of these curious appendages with the sepals, 
and the entire absence from them of vascularity, I gladly seize this opportunity 
of correcting an error into which I as well as Endlicher had fallen, in con- 
sidering them as imperfectly developed stamina. These appendages appear 
to be of the same nature as those occurring on the sepals of Calochortus and 
of many species of Lilium. The chalaza occupies the middle of the seed, 
which is considerably developed toward its outer and upper sides, and is 
therefore, strictly speaking, hemianatropous, the adherent funiculus, which 
is imbedded in the fungous enlargement of the integument or testa, not ex- 
tending beyond half the length of the seed. 
Regarding this remarkable plant as a new genus, I had named it Tripla- 
denia ; but Mr. Brown having pointed out to me its identity with the Kreysigia 
of Reichenbach, the latter name is here adopted. 
In conclusion I may remark, that the cuticle of the under surface of the 
leaves, like that of Paris and Trillium, consists of elegant sinuously lobed, and 
somewhat stelliform cellules; the stomata are numerous, nearly orbicular, 
and completely closed, but not arranged in regular rows as in the generality 
of Monocotyledons. The testa is composed of cubical cellules, which are 
more or less irregular in their outline, and of unequal size. They have thin 
walls, and are furnished with a distinct elliptical nucleus. The contained fluid 
is of a rich amber colour, and abounds with extremely minute globules appa- 
rently of an oily nature. The albumen consists of a homogeneous mass, of a 
horny texture, and furnished with innumerable and regularly disposed cavities 
VOL. XVIII. 3 2 
