l^vS Mr. Brown's Observations on the 



nexion of anthevfe ; in the absence of the partial involucrum ; 

 and ill having alternate leaves. 



In adopting M. Decandolle's description of Dipsacece*, they 

 would dift'er also in the important character of "ovarium inferuni." 

 This distinction, however, is neither universal, nor I believe abso- 

 lute in any case. 



M. Auguste Saint Hilaire in his excellent Memoir on Primida- 

 ce<£ t» while he admits the correctness of M. Decandolle's account 

 with respect to great part of Dipsacece, has at the same time well 

 observed, that in several species of Scabiosa the ovarium is entirely 

 united with the tube of the calyx. But neither of these authors 

 has remarked the curious, and I believe peculiar, circumstance, of 

 the base of the style cohering with the narrow apex of the tube of 

 the calyx, even in those species of the order in which the dilated 

 part of the tube is entirely distinct from the ovarium. 



This kind of partial cohesion between pistillum and calyx is 

 directly opposite to what usually takes place, namely, the base of 

 the ovarium being coherent, while its upper part is distinct. It 

 equally, however, determines the apparent origin or insertion of 

 corolla and stamina, producing the unexpected combination of 

 " flos superus" with " ovarium liberum." 



In the vascular structure of the corolla Boopidece may be con- 

 sidered as essentially agreeing with Compositce, in many of whose 

 genera the middle nerves of the tube and segments are equally 

 manifest. In stating the character derived from this source in 

 either of these orders, it is not sufKcient to describe the nerves of 

 the laciniae only as M. Mirbel has done in his character of Com- 

 positae+j and M. Cassini in that of Boopideae : but it is also neces- 



* Flor. Franc. 3""= ed. vol. iv. p. 221. f Mem. du Mus. d'Hist. Natiir. ii. p. J7. 

 J Eleinens de Physiol. Veget. et de Botan. ii. p. 885. 



sary 



