from the usual Structure of Seeds. T 147 



This second instance occurs in Peltosanffies Teta of Andrews's 

 Repository and the Botanical Miigazinc. 



Jn this monocotyledonous plant, which in 1812 nearly ripenetl 

 seed in Mr. Lambert's collection at Boyton, the ovarium coheres 

 with the tube of the perianthium or corolla, and has originally 

 three cells, each containing twoovula. Soon al'ttr impregnation has 

 taken place, from one to three of these ovula rapidly increase in 

 size, by their pressure prevent the development of the others, and 

 rupture the ovarium, which remains, but little enlarged at the base 

 of the fruit, consisting of from one to three naked berry-like seeds. 



In the Botanical Magazine Mr. Ker, in describing a second 

 species of Peliosatithes*, takes the opportunity of altering in some 

 respects the character of the genus he had previously given, and 

 of adding a description of its supposed pericarpium, from an in- 

 spection, as it seems, of the unripe fruit of Peliosanthes Teta. It is 

 evident, however, that he is not aware of its real structure; and 

 consequently does not succeed in reconciling its appearance with 

 the unquestionable fact of its having "germen inferum." 

 - There are some cases in which this early opening of the ova- 

 rium, instead of being, as in the preceding instances, an irregular 

 bursting, apparently caused by the pressure of the enlarged ovula, 

 is a regular dehiscence in the direction of the suture. Of this 

 Sterculia platanifoUa and S.colorata are remarkable examples; their 

 foUiculi after opening, which takes place long before the maturity 

 of the seeds, acquiring the form and texture of leaves, to whose 

 thickened margins the ovula continue firmly attached until they 

 ripe!?. Anotherexampleof this early and regular dehiscence occurs 

 in an undescribed genus of tbe same family, Avhich differs from 

 Sterculia platanifoUa in its pericarpium having a terminal wing and 

 a single seed. 



* Botan. Magaz. 1532. 



V 2 lu 



