[ 487 ] 



XXXI. Note on the Development of the Ovulum </ Osyris. in correction of th/ 

 Statement made at Page 1 78 of the present Volume. By William Gaimra, 

 Esq., F.L.S. 8fc. fyc. 



Read November 19th, 1844. 



alAVING had opportunities, after my revised examination oi Sunt alum allium, 

 of examining a Malacca species of Osyris (belonging to a section characterized 

 by a quinary number of parts of the flower, a less tendency to separation of 

 the sexes, and habit), I find full grounds for believing that the mode of den 

 lopment of the ovulum of Osyris Nepalensis is altogether like that of Sunt alum 

 album-, the only difference being the unimportant one of the short anterior 

 prolongation of the embryo-sac outside the nucleus. The minuteness of the 

 ovulum, and the rapidity with which the anterior exsertrd pari above the 

 septum becomes filled with albuminous tissue, during which the proper mem- 

 brane of this part of the sac becomes incorporated with the albuminoid deem 

 must be my apologies for this additional and very important error. 



I may take this opportunity of stating that this Malacca Osurit, deducting 

 the great minuteness of the ovulum, has given me as good evidence at $m> 

 talum in my opinion has, of the non-existence of any cell or body of or in the 

 embryo-sac, from which the embryo is derived independent of ike peUen lube 

 The vesicle from which the embryo is to be derived does not appear 

 before the application of the pollen tubes to the sac ; it being, in fact, so far 

 as my means of observation enable me to go, the anterior extremity of the 

 pollen tube itself. 



Botanic Gardens, Calcutta, November 12, 1843. 



VOL. XIX, 



