54 DR. J. D. HOOKER ON THE GENERA AND SPECIES 



stages of »rowth led to the same conclusions as were obtained from Balanophora involu- 

 crata. After flowering, the capitulum and pedimcle wither, chy, and fall away from the 

 base of the volva, but do not deliquesce nor turn putrid, nor are they attacked by insects 

 to any extent. Each peduncle seems to become detached from, the rhizome by a very 

 obscure articulation, which may be seen as a dark transverse line, on a longitudinal section 

 of the base of the pedmicle, some time liefore its faUiug away. The rhizome is perennial, 

 but docs not give forth its buds rmtil Jvrly, and the plant ripens its fruit in September. 



The apex of the stigma, described and figured by Grilfith as an opaque rounded body, 

 is when yoimg, and even after impregnation, perfectly simple. 



The apices of the articulated hairs consist of several series of cells, which are (as figured 

 by Griffith) much darker than the rest ; and the outer cell-membrane becomes transversely 

 wrinkled, as in the South American Relosidece. 



XIII. CoBTN^A, Hook. fil. 



Rhisoma deforme, lobatum. Pedunculi nudi. Capitula androgyna, squamis hexagonis peltatis velata. 

 Fl. (?. Perianthium infundibuliformi-campanulatum, margine crenatum. Antherce 3 v. synema 

 6-loculare. Fl. ? . Heloseos. 



1. CoRYNiEA CEASSA, Hook. fil. ; capitulis clavatis cylindraceis. (Tab. XIII.) 



Hab. Sylvis densis Cratcegi, Thibaudia et Befari(B, prope S** Fe de Bogota, Novae Granadse, alt. 8000 ped. 



{Pur die, 1846). 

 Rhizoma lobatum, a magnitudine iiucis Juglandis ad capitis humani. Pedunculi plurimi, juniores basi 

 annulo cincti, 1-8 unc. longi, ^-\^ unc. crassi, nudi, cylindracei. Capitulum obovato-oblongum v. 

 clavatum, in pedunculum attenuatum, flores perpluriraos utriusque sexus gerens, filis articulatis 

 immixtis. Fl. S ad basin capituli plurimi. Perianthium basi cum tubo stamineo connatum, 

 superne ampliatum, iilis paullo longius, margine crenatum, rarius fissum. Columna staminea longe 

 exserta, filaraentis omnino coalitis. Antherce 3, 2-loculares, arete cohaerentes, introrsum et ad apices 

 dehiscentes. Pollen 3-4-nucleatum. Fl. ? . Ovarium obovato-oblongum, compressum, limbo peri- 

 anthii breviter bilabiato coronatum ; styli graciles, elongati. Fructus late oblongus v. orbicularis, 

 compressus. 



This fine sjiecies often weighs many pounds, and is so abundant that the roots of a 

 plant attacked by it resemble a mass of potatoes. The rhizome encloses the roots of the 

 plant on which it grows parasiiicaUy. In the evolution of the flowers it follows 

 the same law as Selosis. The male flower entirely resembles that of Rhopalocnemis. 

 After the fall of the scales from the capitula, both the stigmata and the tips of the arti- 

 culate threads covering the head spliacelate; the latter wi-inkling, and the stigma, which 

 consists of two series of globular cells (enclosing a mucilaginous passage down the style), 

 becomes minutely punctulate. The body of the style consists of about eight large peri- 

 pherical cells, enclosing the cellular conducting tissue. The cavity of the ovarium is 

 small, compared with its congeners; and the seed* is also small and broad. 



* lu Tab. XIII. figs. 1 ), 12, 13, I have figured a large embryo in the axis of the seed : this I found in only two 

 fniits (now ten years ago) ; but having many times since attempted in vain to find another, I withheld all allusion to it 

 in the body of this memoir. Since Mr. Weddell has informed me of the very rare occurrence of the calyx in Sar- 

 eophyte, I have been induced to reconsider the propriety of introducing these drawings, and now do so with the more 

 confidence from the embryo of Sarcophyte being so entirely similar to this. — Kew, Aug. 2, 1856. 



