Mr. J . Miers on the Solaiiacese. 3 



the latter being separated into nine subtribcs, which are marked 

 by very insufficient characters, as I shall hereafter explain. Of 

 these subtribes the most numerous in genera is the Solanece, 

 signalized by three principal features; 1. a regular corolla, an 

 indication of little utility, as it exists equally in other tribes ; 

 2. a bilocular berry; 3. a semicircular or spiral embryo, a feature 

 also retained by other subtribes, and even here too its applica- 

 bility as a test is rendered nugatory by the knowledge that 

 Juanulloa and Marcliea have a nearly straight embryo. 



It is to be regretted that M. Dunal should have associated the 

 NolanacecB with the Solanacea, from which they diflPer essentially 

 in the structure of the pistil and the fruit. The Scrophulariacea , 

 AtropacecR and Solanacece, placed as I have suggested under more 

 strictly defined and simple limits, form, together with some other 

 families, a very manifest alliance, exhibiting the prominent cha- 

 racteristics of monopetalous flowers, with a pistillum consisting 

 of" a superior ovarium, a simple style, and a stigma generally 

 entire or 2-lobed ; the ovarium by the confluence of its carpels 

 being normally 2-locular, with the cells placed always anteriorly 

 and posteriorly in regard to the axis ; and whenever the few 

 known exceptions occur of more than two cells, these will be 

 found to arise generally from an unusual extension of the pla- 

 centae, which always proceeding from the centre of the dissepi- 

 ment, produce abnormally other spurious cells. Among the 

 NolanacecE, the only genus that approaches this definition is 

 Grabowskya, all others differing essentially in structure, but 

 even in that genus the resemblance is more apparent than real. 

 In the Nolanacea, the carpels constituting the pistillum are more 

 numerous, and, excepting the case just mentioned, are always 

 free, springing from a fleshy receptacle surrounded by distinct 

 glands, and all receiving their fertilizing influence through the 

 medium of one common style, that has no direct communication 

 with the ovaria, but always indirectly, through the intermedium 

 of a supporting gynobase, in the same manner as the Borragi- 

 nacea and the Labiatte. In Grabowskya, although the two com- 

 ponent carpels are connate, the style apparently issuing from it 

 does not spring from the summit, as in an ordinary pistillum, 

 but may be traced down the axile line of their union to the base, 

 and may be separated from the adherent carpels : the style there- 

 fore, though concealed below by the confluent carpels, is truly 

 of gynobasic insertion. This essential difference in the struc- 

 ture of the pistil renders the union of the Solanacem and Nola- 

 naceeB quite indefensible. Another peculiarity is constant in the 

 NolanacecB, in which respect we find no parallel or analogy 

 among the Solanacea : this consists in the fact, that whether 

 the ripened nuts be imilocular or many-celled (the cells in all 



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