Linruean Society. 489 



is given in tlie following terms : — " The lower cells arise from a cen- 

 tral row of carpella, the cohering apices of which constitute the 

 diaphragm, the ovula springing from the two united mt«-gins of the 

 same carpellary leaf, and consequently being directed towards the 

 circumference of the ovarium ; while the upper cells are formed by 

 an exterior series of longer carpels alternate with the others, their 

 cohering summits constituting the whole, or at all events the exter- 

 nal portion, of the style, and the ovula are borne on the entire inner 

 face of the carpidia, as in Nymphceacea, the cells being in addition 

 frequently divided by spurious septa arising from the midribs." 



With respect to the affinities of the genus, Mr. Hance would cer- 

 tainly remove it from Myrtaceiz, and believes it must be viewed as an 

 osculant genus connecting the Myrtles with Onagrarice and Ly- 

 thrariee, and hereafter to form with other yet undescribed genera a 

 new natural order. 



In conclusion, he refers to some remarks of Mr. Griffith in a letter 

 to Dr. Wight, which he had not met with until some time after 

 writing his paper, in which Mr. Griffith speaks of Punica as belong- 

 ing to an order, with Duabanga and Sonneratia, between Myrtacex 

 and Lythracece, and describes it as being 6-7-carpellary-leaved. 



Read also the conclusion of " Observations on the Botany of 

 Texas." By William BoUaert, Esq. F.R.G.S., &c. 



In this memoir Mr. BoUaert gives some account of the physical 

 geography of the State of Texas, with notes on its geological character 

 and mineral productions ; he describes the .soil and climate of its 

 various regions ; and, lastly, enters into a detailed account of its 

 vegetable productions, describing successively the forests and forest- 

 trees, together with the fruits, and the herbaceous plants, including 

 the cereals, grasses and other plants useful to man, especially those 

 cultivated either for food or ornament. Among these he enters into 

 particular details with respect to the Zea Mays or Indian Corn, and 

 a species of Smilax which he believes to be new, but which appears 

 to be identical with Smilax lanceolata, L., and is known to the in- 

 habitants by the name of Indian Bread. Of Maize he states the 

 average crop to be sixty bushels per acre ; and adds that a man and 

 young boy have been known in Eastern Texas to raise and gather 

 in one year fifteen hundred bushels from two crops. He describes a 

 great variety of modes in which this valuable plant is turned to ad- 

 vantage, and gives a rough analysis of the component parts of the 

 grain. From this it results that the starchy matter in malting takes 

 on a saccharine character, which by fermentation produces alcohol, 

 and independently of the carbonic acid evolved, another acid is 

 formed, which may be either a new acid or the acetic. When the 

 fermented liquor is allowed to stand for some days, a bright yellow 

 oil floats to the surface, and appears to be composed of three proxi- 

 mate substances: viz. I. a body like Elaine; 2. a small portion 

 like Stearine ; and 3. a substance which he calls Maizaline, which 

 last has a decided diuretic quality, and is regarded by the author as 

 the cause of the diuretic effects produced by Maize-bread upon 



