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XXI. On the Structure of the Asia i Stomata of Dischidia Rafflesiana, 
Wall. By the late Wus1am Grivritru, Esq., F.L.S. &c. Communicated 
by R. H. Sorry, Esq., F.R.S., F.L.S. Se. 
Read January 20th, 1846. 
THIS curious plant occurs abundantly about Mergui, and affects old and 
partially decayed trees. I have hence been able to examine abundance of 
specimens loaded with Ascidia of different degrees of development. I offer 
the observations relating to these curious appendages, as I conceive they 
throw light on their nature, which, if analogy holds good, appears to have 
been generally misunderstood. The commonly adopted opinion, and. that 
which' Dr. Lindley advocates in his * Outlines of the First Principles of Bo- 
tany' and in his * Introduction to the Natural Orders,’ is, that the pitcher is a 
modification of the petiole and the lid or operculum of the lamina. The 
structure of Dionca certainly seems in favour of this opinion. Mr. Brown, 
in his * Remarks on the Structure and Affinities of Cephalotus,’ Lond. and 
Edin. Phil. Mag. for Oct. 1832, says, that Ascidia in all cases are manifestly 
formed from the leaves, but does not refer the pitcher or lamina to any par- 
ticular part of the leaf. 
The Ascidia of this species have, as might be expected, the same arrange- 
ment as the leaves: they are opposite and shortly pedicellate. They are how- 
ever erowded together, while the leaves are distant. In shape they are oblong- 
ovate, somewhat compressed, with a few elevations and depressions, which 
correspond to those formed in the leaves by the nervures. They are open at 
the base, the margins being rounded off owing to their being inflected into 
the pitcher in the shape of a linguiform process. Immediately below the base 
they are slightly constricted. The opening is invariably directed upwards. 
Their colour externally is that of the leaves,—a dingy yellowish green, often 
