including a new^rmngefnentofPhaneroffamom Plants. MH 



Santalace^ and LoRANTHACEiE. In Thesium the funiculus 

 is either anterior, posterior or lateral, and such also are its 

 valuations of position in Mysodendron, two of the ovules being 

 rudimentary (or wanting ?), and I believe also in Loranthus. So 

 neai'ly do these families approach each other, that it is a question 

 if they are really distinct ; for although in Mysodendron the nu- 

 cleus is destitute of integuments, yet it is inverted, the funiculus 

 being attached to it on the averse side relatively to the central 

 placenta, from which attachment a thickened rib descends to its 

 lower extremity ; the embryo also is at the upper part of the 

 nucleus, and the funiculus curves over the embryonal sac to 

 reach its point of attachment (vide fig. 3 in Plate II.) . The appa- 

 rent calyx of Mysodendron may be regarded as bracts originating 

 at the base of the ovary and adhering to its sides, as an analo- 

 gous structure occurs in Abelia and Linncea, where the bracts 

 are not adherent. And although in Santalaceae this character is 

 wanting, yet there is a tendency to adhesion of the bracts as in 

 Thesium, where they are adherent to the peduncles in the greater 

 part of their extent. The adhesion of bracts to peduncles is also 

 a common occurrence in Loranthaceae, which offers an explana- 

 tion for those situated at the base of the ovary becoming adhe- 

 rent to its sides. 



ELiEAGNACE^. Hippopha'e variable and more frequently pos- 

 terior ; Elceagnus variable and more frequently anterior. 



StilbacEvE. Having expressed an opinion that in this family 

 the female flowers are apetalous, I can now add that a more re- 

 cent examination of the species of Stilbe leaves no reason to 

 doubt that they are really so, and also leads to the supposition 

 that the flowers consist principally, if not entirely, of herm- 

 aphrodites and females ; it becomes a question therefore whether 

 Empetracese might not be associated with them, and possibly 

 Batidese. In Stilbe the smaller cell is sometimes entirely sup- 

 pressed, and the fertile cell in some species is almost uniformly 

 posterior, being only occasionally anterior. (PI. XIV. figs. 9 

 & 10.) 



LYTHEACEiE. In PepUs nearly all right and left ; in Lythrum 

 most frequently anterior and posterior ; and in Pleurophora always 

 so. In P. pungens the larger cell is always posterior, the ante- 

 rior being sometimes almost suppressed. 



PoDOSTEMACE^. This Order is placed near Lythracese as 

 being an apetalous form of it ; the stamens are distinct or moua- 

 delphous in both ; in Lythracese the posterior stamens are some- 

 times deficient, and this may prove to be an explanation of the 

 unilateral position of the stamens occurring in Podostemacese ; 

 and it seems doubtful if there exists any differential character in 

 the ovary and ovules. 



