10. 



contains a peculiar acid, called the Meconic ; and a vegetable alkali, named 

 Narcotine, to which the unpleasant stimulating properties are attributed by 

 Magendie. Turner, 6. 47. 



Examples. Papaver, Chelidonium, Eschscholtzia. 



V. NYMPH^ACE.E. The Water Lily Tribe. 



NympHjEace^, Salisbury, Ann. Bot. 2. p. 69. (1805); Dec. Propr. Med. ed. 2. p. 119. 

 (1816); S7/st. 2. 39. (1821); Prodr. 1. 113. (1824) ^ Lindl. Synops. 15. (1829.) 



Diagnosis. Polypetalous dicotyledons, with hypogynous stamens, 

 concrete carpella, a many-celled ovarium, and ovula attached to the face of 

 the dissepiments. 



Anomalies. None. 



Essential Character Sepals and petals numerous, imbricated, passing gradu- 

 ally into each other, the former persistent, the latter inserted upon the disk which stir- 

 rounds the pistillum. Stamens numerous, inserted above the petals into the disk, some- 

 times forming, with the combined petals, a superior monopetalous corolla ; Jilaments 

 petaloid ; anthers adnate, bursting inwards by a double longitudinal cleft. Disk large, 

 fleshy, surrounding the ovarium more or less. Ovarium polyspermous, many-celled, with 

 the stigmata radiating from a common centre upon a sort of flat urceolate cap. Fruit manv- 

 celled, indehiscent. Seeds very numerous, attached to spongy dissepiments, and enveloped 

 in a gelatinous arillus. Albumen farinaceous. Embryo small, on the outside of the base of 



the albumen, enclosed in a membranous bag; cotyledons foliaceous Herbs, with peltate or 



cordate fleshy leaves, arising from a prostrate trunk, growing in quiet waters. 



Affinities. There exists a great diversity of opinion among botanists 

 as to the real structure of this order, and, consequently, as to its affinities. 

 This has arisen chiefly from the anomalous nature of the embryo, which 

 is not naked, as in most plants, but enclosed in a membranous sac or bag. 

 By some, among whom was the late M. Richard, this sac or bag was con- 

 sidered a cotyledon, analogous to that of grasses, and enveloping the plumula ; 

 and hence the order was referred to Endogense, or Monocotyledons, and 

 placed in the vicinity of Hydrocharidese. By others, at the head of whom 

 are Messrs. Mirbel and DecandoUe, the sac is considered a membrane of 

 a peculiar kind ; and what Richard and his followers denominate plumula, 

 is for them a 2-lobed embryo, wherefore they place the order in Exogenae, 

 or Dicotyledons. I do not think it worth citing all the arguments that have 

 been adduced on each side the question, as botanists seem now to be gene- 

 rally agreed upon referring Nymphceacese to Dicotyledons. I observe, how- 

 ever, that Dr. Von Martins adheres to the opinion that Nymphceacece are 

 monocotyledonous, and nearly related to Hydrocharidese. Hee H or tus Regius 

 Monacensis, p. 25. (1829.) Those who are curious to investigate the subject 

 are referred to M. Decandolle's Memoir, in the first volume of the Transac- 

 tions of the Physical and Natural History Society of Geneva. In this place it 

 will be sufficient to advert briefly to the proof that is supposed to exist 

 of their being Dicotyledons. In the first place, the structure of the stem is 

 essentially that of Exogenae. See Mirbel's examination 'of the anatomy of 

 Nuphar luteum, in i\\e Annales dn Mns(:um,\o\. 16. p. 20; and of Nclumbium, 

 the close affinity of which with Nynipha>aceoe no one can possibly doubt, in the 

 same work, vol. 13. t. 34. In both these plants the bundles of fibres are 

 placed in concentric circles, the youngest of which are outermost; but they 

 all lie among a great quantity of cellular tissue: between each of these 

 circles is interposed a number of air-cells, just as is found in Myriophyllum 

 and Hippuris, both undoubted Dicotyledons in the opmion of every body • 



