Dr. Hancock on the Angustura Bark Tree. 21 



<ronimonly abortive, resembling short legumes, gibbous. When 

 in the embryo state they are smooth, tender, and semi-pellucid, 

 and wheu approaching maturity, they gradually acquire a vil- 

 lous rough coat. 



Seeds, two to a capsule ; one of them often abortive, round. 

 Mack, the size of a small pea, fastened near together by mi- 

 nute pedicles within a chaffy envelope, which is again sur- 

 rounded by a strong elastic perisperm or arillus, which is horny, 

 bivalve, bursting with violence, and dispersing the seeds it con- 

 tains to a considerable distance. 



Of the receptacle, or that part which may be designated thus: 

 In the early stage of the flower, when the corolla has reached 

 the length of 3 or 4 lines, on detaching it from the calyx the 5 

 little ovaries may be observed standing naked upon the recep- 

 tacle, which is then merely such. It, however, gradually grows 

 up into a rim or circle around the ovaries in such a manner, in- 

 deed, as entirely to cover and envelope them in a tough leathery 

 eoat or hood. By the time the flower is ready to open, and at 

 the falling off of the corolla, it entirely conceals them. When 

 they commence to emerge, this receptacle dilates, thickens, and 

 remains a supporting base to the then super-imposed capsules. 

 W lien the flower is fully opened, the receptacle is obscurely 

 8 or 10 notched. May not these different evolutions be com- 

 pared to the metamorphoses of insects, or rather to the changes 

 which take p i — ■ beta UMl the chorion and embryo in animals, 

 daring tin- earlier periodi of gestation.' 



TV- Aagvelam Hark Tree Bawen ia rati profusion during 



the months of An-nst ami S ept e m ber, when its elegnnt, white 

 I '-ins .,,1,1 greatlj to the beauty of the scenery. Its seeds 

 ripen in October and \o\ember. 



I shall now proceed (,, notice the differences existing between 

 ng description and those ,,l interior and e\. M S ub- 



• ni writers, luch as: WUldenoir, wfco eironeovsi y formed 



.. IK u <;. ,i,| s, which he called llnsn.WIH \, nil the plant ft) lit 



ii Hujnboldl as t [ ( . ope iaqaeetioo, aotwiUutaadhu 



