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Prof. G. Gulliver on Raphides and other Crystals. 251 
cies, bundles of these minute raphides swarmed in the seed- 
leaves, plumule, and caulicle of M. tricolor. 
Tetragoniee and Sesuviee.—Having, thus far, always found 
a profusion of raphides in the section Mesembryeze, the question 
arises whether this character also be possessed by the other two 
sections of the order Ficoidee. Accordingly specimens, either 
fresh or dried, were examined of the leaves and stalks of four 
species of Tetragonia, three of Aizoon, and three of Sesuvium ; 
and the result was a negative answer to the question. No ra- 
phides were found in any of these ten plants, though in several 
of them spheraphides were observed in more or less abundance 
—a character in which Tetragoniez and Sesuviex resemble Che- 
nopodiacese. In the leaves, calyx, and ovary of Tetragonia ex- 
pansa the spheraphides are about -{,th of an inch in diameter, 
and commonly double that size in the pith. 
Plantaginacee, Nyctaginacee, and Amaranthacee.—These or- 
ders are numbered 143, 144, and 145 in Prof. Balfour’s ‘ Manual 
of Botany.’ I have only examined three species belonging to 
the central order, and they all abound in raphides, which were 
seen in the flower and swarming in the leaves and stem of Oxy- 
baphus violaceus, and in the stem, bracts, and different parts of 
the flower of Bougainvillea glabra. And I have never failed 
to find raphides equally abundant in the root-stock, leaves, 
calyx, and corolla, and also, but smaller and more tender, in 
the stamens, pistil, ovary, ovule, spermoderm, and seed-leaves of 
Mirabilis. On the contrary, in the few species examined be- 
longing to the neighbouring orders, Plantaginaceee and Ama- 
ranthaceze, no raphides were found. 
Chenopodiacee, Phytolaccacee, and Polygonacee.—Here again 
arises the question, how far an order may be distinguished by 
raphides from its allies. Does this small central order differ 
as a raphis-bearer from the two larger neighbouring orders? 
Of Phytolaccacez I have only examined the leaves, red petioles, 
and midribs of Phytolacca icosandra, and the leaves, young 
flowers and buds, spike and bracts of P. esculenta, var. venosa, 
in all of which raphides occur profusely. But this character 
was found entirely wanting in every one of the few species or 
varieties of Chenopodium, Atriplex, Beta, Rheum, Rumex, and 
Polygonum, which were examined at the same time for compa- 
rison. Spheraphides, indeed, are very common in Chenopo- 
diaceze, as may be well seen in the leaves, stem, pith, and meso- 
phlceum of common garden weeds of the Goosefoot family, and, 
as is well known, in some parts of certain Polygonacee. In 
Chenopodium and Atriplex most of the spheraphides are about 
¢éoth of an inch in diameter, and others are much larger. 
I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. De Carle Sowerby, 
