MR. J. MIERS ON THE FAMILY OF TRIURIACEE. E 
guished, nor any mark of hilum, as described by Capt. Champion. The inner space is 
wholly filled by a translucent, hyaline nucleus, of so firm a texture, that the hard testa 
may be broken, without rupturing it; it is quite free, or perhaps connected by a mere 
point, at the apex of the testa. This nucleus is covered by a thin transparent integu- 
ment, which is marked with large and somewhat longitudinally hexagonal reticulations, 
through the areoles of which are seen a number of included spherules of small size, and 
on making sections in different directions across this nucleus, it will be found to consist of 
an aggregation of homogeneous, spheroidal, or rather angular cells, which, by pressure, 
exude a transparent oil, and a quantity of most minute dark grains of solid matter: the 
cells appear all of equal size, and this arrangement was found to be constant in upwards 
of thirty very careful sections in various directions, sometimes in clean longitudinal slices 
cut parallel with the axis, or transversely, by which the whole internal structure was made 
distinctly apparent : these again were subjected to the compressorium, and examined under 
the simple and compound mieroscope of considerable power, but every effort to detect the 
slightest indication of a distinct embryo, or even to find one cell darker or larger than the 
others, has completely failed. "The uniformity of these results, obtained from the seeds of 
the two species of Sciaphila, those of Hyalisma, and also of another genus yet to be 
described, warrants the conclusion that the nucleus, in all these cases, is deficient of an 
embryo. The fact that the seeds thus examined were nearly, if not entirely, ripe, is indi- 
cated by the bursting of the utricular covering, and their detachment in many cases from 
their basal support, both in Seiaphila and Hyalisma, as well as by the hardness and deep 
colouring of the testa, and the firmness of the nucleus. 
The genus Seiaphila may be characterized as follows :— 
ScrAPHILA, Blume. Aphylleia, Champ. 
Cuar. Gen. Flores monoici vel polygami. Perianthium in utroque sexu simile, 6-partitum, basi cyathi- 
forme ; laciniis oblongis, acutis, reflexis, æstivatione valvatis, persistentibus. Masc. Stamina 6, in 
hermaphroditis abortu 3-1, in androphorum carnosum feré sessilia; filamenta brevissima; anthere 
transversim oblonge, quadratim 4-loculares, apice rimá transversali 2-valvatim hiantes. Fam. Ovaria 
plurima, in gynæcium carnosum subglobosum densè aggregata, obovata, sessilia, 1-locularia ; ovulo 
solitario erecto. Stylus lateralis feré basalis, plüs minüsve papilloso-subciliatus. Stigma truncatum, 
papilloso-plumosum, raró simpliciter obtusum. Carpidia plurima, densissimé aggregata, obovata, 
styli basi persistente notata, monosperma. Pericarpium utricularé, subtenue, papilloso-rugosum, 
suturä dorsali 2-valvatim hians. Caryopsis obovata, brevi-stipitata : endocarpium arilliforme, 8-10- 
costatum, costis basi apiceque confluentibus, transversim cancellatis, interstitiis membranaceis. 
Semen ovatum, basi apiceque endocarpio suffultum et suspensum : testa colorata, testacea, striis paucis 
longitudinalibus, aliisque creberrimis transversis scalariformibus signata, apice saturatiüs colorata ; 
integumentum externum pelliculare, reticulatum, teste adnatum ; integumentum internum tenuissimum, 
areolis hexagonoideis magnis oblongis reticulatum, nucleum arcté cingens. Nucleus (embryo proto- 
blasteus) indivisus, homogeneus, carnoso-cereus, opalinus, cellulosus ; cellulis parvis, subglobosis, 
materie grumosä succoque oleoso farctis. 
Herbæ pusille, utriusque hemisphere indigene, hyaline ; rhizomate fibroso; caule erecto, simplici vel sub- 
ramoso; foliis paucis, bracteiformibus, alternis, ovatis, acutis, adpressis, venis destitutis, celluloso- 
rugosis; floribus simpliciter spicatis, monoicis, & superioribus, 9 inferioribus ; pedunculis 1- floris, 
basi bracteatis ; bracteä folio conformi. | | 
