OF BALANOPHOREÆ. 39 
Griffith was best acquainted, but not so great as in Cynomorium and others; whilst the 
greater general perfection in other respects, to which he alludes only, I do not appreciate. 
The union of the ovaria does not indicate a difference in the female flowers, but a different 
inflorescence ; a point of much less systematic value, and indeed of none in Balanophoreæ, 
as is proved by a comparison of Balanophora, Cynomorium, Lophophytum, and their allies. 
In this point the analogy is perhaps complete with Thonningia and Langsdorffia, whose 
ovaria are entirely united; as are the perianths of Langsdorffia, in some states at any rate. 
Ås an indication, however, of the female flowers of Sarcophyte being furnished with a 
perianth, this point is of considerable importance. 
Another fact connected with the inflorescence of Sarcophyte is the sudden suppression 
of bracteal scales; these, which are very conspicuous at the base of the primary branches 
of the male and female inflorescence, are not developed at the base of the capitula, or of 
the individual male flowers. This appears, further, opposed to Griffiths supposition that 
the perigonial leaves of the male flower are bracts, though perhaps not conclusive 
against it. < 
The tissues of the stem of Sarcophyte are full of starch-granules, but do not differ 
otherwise from others of the Order, though in the peduncle the vascular bundles are very 
irregularly deposited. The roots of the plant upon which it grows are connected by stout 
woody branches with the rhizome of the parasite; and there seems to be a complete 
fusion of the vascular tissues of both. 
IV. LANGSDORFFLA, Rich. 
(Tas. II.) 
1. LANGSDORFFIA HYPOGÆA, Martius in Eschwege’s Journal von Brasilien, ii. p. 179; Nov. 
Gen. et Sp. iii. 181. t. 199; Unger in Ann. Wien. Mus. ii. t. 4. figs. 21 & 22, & — 
t. 7. fig. 40. 
Langsdorffia Janeirensis, Rich. M&m. Mus. viii. p. 412. t. 19; Endl. & Schott. Meletem. p. 12. 
Thonningia Mexicana, Liebmann in Proceedings of Assembly of Scandinavian Naturalists, 1844. 
Sendfenbergia Moritziana, Klotzsch & Karsten, Herb. Mus. Berol. i 
` Hab. Americå tropicå, a Mexico ad Brasiliam meridionalem. Sylvis montis Serra d’Estrella (Martius) ; 
Rio de Janeiro (Miers, Gardner, Stephan). Sylvis montosis provinciae Oaxaca, Mexico (Liebmann) ; 
f. Nov. Dec. Ad radices arborum ad Tucouroma, provincie Ocanæ (W. Purdie); Colombia 
(Karsten). 
After a very careful examination of specimens from all the localities quoted above, 
* except the male and fruiting specimens of Martius and Prof. Liebmann, I have referred 
all to one species. As however this is a very important point, involving the question of 
the range of the species extending throughout the tropics of both Americas, I feel that it 
is necessary to dwell at length upon it. From Mr. Purdie I have large suites of speci- 
mens, which show that the capitula on the same rhizome vary quite as much as those of 
Mexican specimens do from Brazilian ones. Prof. Liebmann, in his résumé of the cha- 
racters distinguishing the Mexican plant, seems chiefly to rely upon a comparison of it 
with the drawings and descriptions of that from Brazil; but I find that none of my 
Brazilian specimens agree in all their details with Martius' and Richard's drawings; nor 
