of the Class Composite. 17^3 



to whose mode of inflorescence that of Compositce may be com- 

 pared. Singular instances of monstrosity are sometimes to be 

 observed in Tragopogon, Scorzonera, &c, wherein the capitula 

 have assumed the form of the compound umbel. I have already 

 had an opportunity of showing that the other parts of fructi- 

 fication in this class frequently experience a remarkable degree 

 of increase in number, and that the stigmata are generally un- 

 affected by the number of the other parts of the flower. 



I have now to state an interesting example of reduction of 

 stamina in Calliopsis bicolor, a genus widely different from Dahlia 

 and Coreopsis, with which it has been hitherto associated. In 

 this genus most of the florets of the capitulum are quadrind and 

 tetrandrous ; and, besides the primary vessels, there are others 

 which occupy singly the axis of two or three of the lacinia;, 

 but in no instance all of them. These secondary vessels evi- 

 dently arise from the base, and not from the confluence of the 

 primary trunks, as they become fainter near the apex of the 

 laciniae ; and I am disposed to believe, that in many instances 

 the secondary vessels take their rise with the primary trunks. 



I have distributed the groups in accordance with their natural 

 affinities, at least as far as this was practicable in a linear series : 

 for the families appear evidently to return into each other, ex- 

 hibiting a number of points of contact. 



Fam. 1. CiciioitACEJE. Juss. 



Flosculi ligulati, hermaphroditi, uniformes : ligula apice 5- 



dentata, 6-nervia : nervis rectis, parallelis, parum infra 



dentium sinus furcatis 

 Anthers crista membranace& pellucida coronata?, basi bisetaj 



(setis dentibusve membranaceis) s. ligula simplici truncate 



auctae. 

 Stigmata libera, filiformia v. semicylindrica, obtusa, papillosa. 



Achenia 



