SCULPTURE OF THE TESTA OF GERMAN JUNCACES. 143 
in the structure of their flower and fruit; and though in the genus 
Juncus the larger groups are founded upon the nature of the vegetative 
organs and the inflorescence, and in the genus Zuzula (where the 
leaves are generally very uniform) upon the shape of the appendicules of 
the seed and also the inflorescence, yet one is essentially dependent for 
further differential characters upon the structure of the flower, the 
form, colour, and size of the perianth, the number and structure of the 
anthers, and the form and comparative size of the pistil and the fruit. 
It is therefore important to be able to avail ourselves of a new cha- 
racter which is but little variable,—I mean the more delicate structure 
of the testa. True, the configuration of the seed has long ago been noted. 
Ernest Meyer founded upon the nature of the appendicules in Luzula 
his three groups of that genus; whilst in the genus Juncus attempts 
have been made to separate the species with caudate seeds (seminibus sco- 
biformibus) from those with ecaudate; and Desvaux even founded upon 
the former his untenable genus Marsippospermum, but the more deli- 
cate structure was overlooked, and characters derived from it could 
therefore not be employed for the better definition of species. Yet 
these afford a number of good, and, as far as I know, constant marks 
of distinction. 
My attention was first directed to these characters by examination 
of Juncus spherocarpus, Nees ab Esenb. In my paper on the inflores- 
cence of the Juncacee (* Jahrbücher der wissenschaftlichen Botanik," iv. 
1865) I passed this plant over in silence, as it was by almost all 
regarded as a variety of J. Tenageja, Ehrh. However, I could not rest 
satisfied with that; again and again I returned to its examination, 
and became convinced that it (at least the specimens at my disposal 
collected about Vienna) was much nearer J. bufonius, Linn., than 
J. Tenageja,—a conviction in which I am borne out by Ortmann’s 
observations (Verhandl. zool.-bot. Vereins, 1854, ix. p. 12) which 
afterwards came to hand. On comparing the two species, the colour 
of the seeds arrested my attention. I first examined them with a lens, 
and, in order to trace out differences, afterwards placed them under 
higher magnifying power (seventy-five times), and reflected light. In 
this I was successful. Upon the surface of the seeds of both species 
a system of meshes with depressions between them, and of distinctive 
characters could be made out. Ind. Zenageja the meshes form a 
regular network, whilst in J. spherocarpus the meshes are narrow and 
