BECKWITHIA. 99 



may be rather near Pseonia; the leaves are divided and the flowers 

 large and solitary as in that genus; the utricular fruit may be com- 

 pared to the firm inflated pod of the Paeonies. 



While the absence of specimens in anthesis precludes at this 

 juncture an exhaustive discussion concerning the generic affinities 

 of Beckwithia, its status as a genus can not, on account of the 

 exceptional carpological structures and peculiar habit, be in the 

 least affected by our lack of information on this point. The spec- 

 imens of Mrs. Austin and Mrs. Bruce are excellent and show such 

 remarkable characters that it is hoped that the paper, as now pub- 

 lished, may so stimulate interest and inquiry concerning this ex- 

 ceedingly interesting genus that further knowledge may be forth- 

 coming at no distant date. 



Explanation of Plate I. 



Fig. 1. Plant of Beckwithia Austinse, natural size, the scape 

 bearing a head of achenes. 



Fig. 2. Upper portion of scape showing persistent sepals and 

 the receptacle from which the achenes have fallen. 



Fig. 3. Achene, natural size. 



Fig. 4. Achene with one side of the pericarp removed, showing 

 the attachment of the seed; the margins of the carpel are united 

 along the lower portion of the ventral suture, forming a wing at (a), 

 along the inside of which is borne the placental strand. 



Fig. 5. Longitudinal median section of seed. 



Since the above was in type a few much-withered petals have 

 come to light which show the affinity of the plant to Ranunculus. 

 It is, indeed, identical with R. Andersonii Gray, which, although 

 figured in the Botany of King's Expedition, I had overlooked. 

 Notwithstanding this, there are yet additional arguments in favor 

 of Beckwithia as a genus. While lack of space forbids the presenta- 

 tion of these at this time, it is necessary to add, that the binomial 

 read Beckwithia Andersonii (Gray). 



