1851.] Linnean Society. 151 



ovules of Geissoloma contrasted with the erect ovules of Peneea, the 

 erect ovules of Calytrix compared with the pendulous ovules of the 

 neighbouring families, and the pendulous ovules of Calycerece com- 

 pared with the erect ovules of Composites, provided further observa- 

 tion should substantiate his belief that in the last-named family the 

 raphe is really turned away from the placenta. Such ovules he 

 would term spurie erecta, in contradistinction to the opposite case 

 to which Sprengel has applied the term spurie pendula. 



5. He considers that a single ovule erect with the raphe lateral is 

 a horizontal ovule spontaneously growing or pressed upwards by the 

 corresponding development of the ovary ; in proof of which he cites 

 the fact that Trianthema micrantha has two seeds in a horizontal 

 position, with the radicle lateral, while T. decandra has two erect 

 seeds one above the other, with the radicle also in both cases 

 lateral. 



6. He considers one or two erect ovules with the raphe next the 

 placenta (which seems general in Endogenous plants, and is frequent 

 in all the divisions of Exogenous) as for the most part truly erect ; 

 although this position may sometimes be derived from horizontal 

 ovules pressed upwards or spontaneously growing erect, the funi- 

 culus becoming at the same time twisted so as to bring the raphe 

 into relation with the placenta. 



Mr. Clarke then proceeds to illustrate the importance of these 

 characters in a systematic point of view, as regards different families 

 usually regarded as nearly related. He states that Thymelece differ 

 from Laurinece in having the raphe next the placenta, and that the 

 same difference of relation occurs in SanguisorbecE and Amygdaleee. 

 In all the Urtical Orders with pendulous ovules the raphe is next the 

 placenta, or if campylotropal the direction of the curvature is equiva- 

 lent, and the radicle of the embryo is turned away from the placenta ; 

 while in the Chenopodal Orders with pendulous ovules the radicle is 

 either turned towards the placenta or placed on one side of it. The 

 characters thus indicated may also, he thinks, tend to a more natural 

 distribution of the Orders related to Rhamnea, Rutacece and Sapin- 

 dacecE. He refers also to the differences in this respect existing be- 

 tween Berberis and Ranunculacece, Hedera and Cornus, Cinchonacea 

 and Composite. He states that Erythroxylon differs from Malpighi- 

 acecE in having the raphe next the placenta ; and Selago in a similar 

 manner from Myoporum and Stenochilus, in which the raphe is lateral. 

 Scleranthus also differs both from Illecebreee and Tetragonice in having 

 the radicle turned directly away from the placenta. 



In conclusion, Mr. Clarke observes that while raphe aversa and 



