318 Miscellaneous. 
vessels occupying the median and transverse portion of the bundles ; 
rachis with a vascular mass forming the inner side of the bundles ; 
bractea-scales with a single axile bundle, which is dilated above ; 
parenchyma with very numerous nuclei; vessels never spiral. 
Langsdorfia.—Stem with bundles arranged in a circle, and with 
a medulla not formed of sclerous cells; scales with several (usually 
seven) fibro-vascular bundles; nuclei and spiral vessels wanting or rare. 
Lophophytum.—Rhizome with the corticoid or external layer well 
distinguished from the rest of the parenchyma by numerous sclerous 
nuclei, &c., and with an internal parenchyma entirely formed of cells 
with cellular walls ; stem and axes of the floral capitula also in part 
composed of cellular cells; scales of the rhizome without vessels ; 
those of the stem with the petiole (?) alone vascular (little columns 
of sclerous cells taking the place of the vascular bundles beneath the 
little nervures of the blade); pericarp with its subepidermie layer 
almost sclerous; anthers with their fibrous membrane composed, 
throughout the valves, of at least two layers of cells, the filaments of 
which are arranged in a sort of spiral ; septa not fibrous, connective 
variable ; spiral vessels entirely wanting. 
Ombrophytum.—This genus, which is morphologically very similar 
to Lophophytum, with which it was long confounded, has two important 
anatomical characters—namely, the deficiency of cells with cellular 
walls, and the fibrous membrane of the anther-valves formed of cells 
with the fibres radiated (en griffe) instead of spiral, placed in a single 
layer towards the extremities of the valves. Anatomy thus fully 
justifies the separation of these two genera, originally proposed upon 
external characters which might appear not to be of sufficient value. 
The species, like the order and the genera, are characterized 
anatomically. I may cite particularly Lophophytum mirabile and L. 
brasilianum, which are clearly distinguished merely by the structure 
of the anthers, the former alone having the tissues of the connective 
invaded by the fibrous cells of the fibrous membrane of the valves. 
The affinities of the Balanophoreee with other orders of plants 
find in their anatomy characters which either justify or invalidate the 
views founded originally upon external attributes. And at the same 
time that the true affinities obtain a more complete demonstration 
from the concordance of some anatomical characters, the necessity 
of keeping separate neighbouring orders is nevertheless made evident 
by important differential characters. 
Thus the Cytineze differ from the Balanophorez by the arrange- 
ment and general structure of the bundles of the stem and scales, by 
the nature of the vessels, and the structure of the anthers; the 
Nepenthez and Aristolochieze differ still more by the wood of the 
stem, the structure of the leaves and of the connective and valves of 
the anther, the general arrangement of the vessels, the ready unrolling 
of the spiral fibres, &c. : 
The comparative investigation of the Rafflesiaceze, a family which 
has very intimate morphological relations with the Balanophorez, 
will constitute the subject of a special memoir which I shall submit 
to the Academy.—Comptes Rendus, July 11, 1864, p. 68. 
