Kibara.] flora indica. 165 



not require us to look to Laurinea for the allies of these plants, as they are pre- 

 sent also in Berberidece. 



The divarication of the cotyledons is a curious character, the physiological import 

 of which it is not easy to determine. It is of frequent but by no means universal 

 occurrence in the great class of plants to which w r e have referred Monimiacece. 

 Among Ranunculacece it occurs in some species of Clematis, as was first indicated 

 by De Candolle. Among J\IaguoIiacea also it is common, and it occurs in all My- 

 risticacea, and in the whole of the first tribe of Meaixpermacece. In Hortonia and 

 Hedycarya the embryo is included within the albumen, a portion of which penetrates 

 between the divaricating cotyledons. In Hortonia the central albumen is very dis- 

 tinct from that near the surface, being paler in colour as well as laxer in texture ; 

 and a longitudinal section of the seed shows that the line of demarcation between the 

 two is continuous with the apex of the cotyledons, and that the exterior albumen is 

 perisperm, while that between the cotyledous, and continuous thence almost to the 

 base of the seed, is perisperm. Evident traces of the embryo-sac may be seen cover- 

 ing the embryo, which occupies a small cavity in the perisperm. It is, however, 

 evanescent below. 



In Boldoa the embryo is figured by Lindley as being altogether exterior to the 

 albumen ; but we find the structure even more anomalous than he describes it, al- 

 though his analysis of the seed of that curious plant is, as might be expected, quite 

 accurate. Dr. Lindley describes a thick fleshy testa and spreading cotyledons resting 

 on the albumen. We find a thin brown coat, not readily separable from the albumen, 

 and traversed by a broad rhaphe, which terminates in a thickened large circular 

 chalaza like that of Horto i. "Within this coat there is a fleshy layer of consider- 

 able thickness, and the ovate widely-divaricating cotyledons rest upon another fleshy 

 mass, which is everywhere readily separable from the outer, except sometimes at the 

 base, and is undoubtedly albumen, and no doubt endosperm, that is to say, developed 

 in the embryo-sac. It will be seen that this structure only differs from that of Hor- 

 tonia by the larger size and greater divarication of the cotyledons, and by the in- 

 creased mass and more complete separation of the inner albumen from the outer 

 fleshy layer. We think that the same explanation will apply to both genera, and 

 that the fleshy coat of Boldoa is perisperm. That it cannot be testa, as Lindley 

 supposes, is, we think, proved hy the position of the chalaza exterior to it. 



The nearest allies of Mo, aiacem in the class to which we propose to refer them, 

 are, we think, Schizandracea ». We are led to this conclusion by the principle long 

 ago laid down by Mr. Brown, that the most perfect species of a group ought to be 

 kept in view in determining the affinities of the whole. In the present family, Hor- 

 tonia, which is hermaphrodite and petaliferous, appears to claim the highest place, 

 and the resemblance of its flower-buds to those of Kadsura or IlUcium must strike 

 every one. The ovaries and style are also very like those of Kadsura, while the 

 oily albumen and the embryo are quite Magnoliaceous. At the same time Moni- 

 miacece form undoubtedly a very distinct family, not closely allied to any other, but 

 presenting evident relations to all the Orders of the class. It is worthy of note that 

 Dr. AVight, in founding the genus Hortonia, referred it to Schizandracea, an Order 

 with which he was only acquainted by means of books. 



Monimiacea> are a very small Order, and are almost entirely confined to the 

 southern hemisphere, our Indian species and a few which inhabit Mexico and Pa- 

 nama being the only exceptions. Tropical South America is the great centre of the 

 Order, whence it extends south through Peru to Chili. In Africa several are natives 

 of Madagascar and the islands of Mauritius and Bourbon, but none have yet been 

 obtained from the continent. Australia and New Zealand also contain a few species. 



1. KIBARA, Endlicher. 



Brongniartia, Bhane, non Knnth ; Sciadicarpus, HasskarL 



Floret diclines." Calyx turbinates, basi bibracteolatus, ore squamis 



