OF BALANOPHORE^. 41 



that it does not appear to be really parasitical ; but ia both these points I think these 

 authors are mistaken. 



In Purdie's specimens of L. hypogwa, which are immature, the female perianths 

 adhere firmly, so that then* tissues are torn in sundering them. I have not found this to 

 be the case in the Brazilian or Mexican specimens. The style varies exceedingly in 

 length, as does the perianth of the female flower and its pedicel; the mouth of the 

 periantli is obscurely lobed, and a few slender, straight, rigid, woody tubes traverse it 

 longitudinally, as in Thonningia. 



In common with Richard and Von Martins, I have sought in vain for any traces of the 

 cavity of the ovarimn. Por a knowledge of the fruit I am indebted to Prof. Liebmann's 

 invaluable communications, and to specimens given me by M. Weddell. The two 

 former authors indeed hazard the supposition that all the specimens they examined were 

 of a barren state of the species ; to which, if such were the case, would have to be added 

 upwards of fifty sj^ecimcns examined by myself. Considering the extraordinary minute- 

 ness of the seed, it seems safer to conclude that the cavity of the ovary being still smaller, 

 sunk in the substance of the fleshy i^eceptacle, and probably filled with the ovule, which 

 adheres to the cavity, it has escaped observation*. The fi'uit-bearing receptacle is quite 

 similar to that of Thonningia ; it dilates greatly after flowering, causing the surroimding 

 scales to spread horizontally; its surface is covered with the persistent fleshy conical 

 perigonia, which adhere so closely that they may be removed in a body as a fleshy covering 

 to the receptacle. Beneath each flower is a minute oblong seed, nidulating in the fleshy 

 receptacle, and pendulous from the apex of a unilocular crustaceous putamen. The seed 

 is compressed, oblong, covered with a membranous coat, and has an evident raphe down 

 one of the edges. The specimens I have examined are innnature and had no discernible 

 embryo, as were probably those examined by Liebmann, who describes the contents of the 

 seed as a pulpy mass of globular cells. The clavate scales of the male capitulum appear 

 to me to be undeveloped female flowers ; and the small, hard, prominent, imbricating 

 scales which surround the base of the female capitultim, are connate articulate filaments, 

 analogous to those of IlelosidecB. 



This species yields so large a quantity of wax, that candles are made of it in New 

 Grenada. The secretion is contained entirely in the cellular tissue, where it appears as a 

 large opaque mass in every utricle. Mr. Purdie informs me that near Bogota the stems 

 are collected, and sold in the markets under the name of Siejos, and used as candles on 

 saints' days. 



* Since writing the above, I have examined some excellent flowering specimens of L. hypogcea, which, though 

 originally preserved in spirits and afterwards transferred to acid, have not turned brown ; and in these I find unim- 

 pregnated ovules. The perianths in these specimens adhere firmly throughout the upper two-thirds of their length, 

 but their cylindvical bases, though densely packed, are quite free. Their substance is very loosely cellular and 

 diaphanous, and a dark spot immediately above the insertion of the flower on to the fleshj- capitulum, marks the 

 position of the excessively minute ovarian cavity and ovule. Owing to the extreme minuteness and laxity of the 

 cellular tissue of the ovary, I had great difiiculty in opening it and dissecting out the ovule, which forms a pen- 

 dulous globular transparent sac, consisting of a few loosely packed nucleated cells, enclosed in a membrane of ex- 

 cessive tenuity. This ovule is the most minute that I have met with iu the vegetable kingdom. I further found 

 pollen-tubes in the style of some flowers, traversing a conducting tissue formed of long, soft, lax, tubular cells in the 

 axis of the style. — Kew, March ■), 1856. 



VOL. XXII. G 



