4S8 



fcvs llic gomis to the A])ocynea3, placing it next to Apocynum : in this 

 he has been followed all subsequent authors. But Dr. Falconer finds, 

 on examination of specimens of Cryptolepis Buchanani, that it " has 

 the whole of the accessory stigmatic apparatus of Asclepiadea3, with 

 granular pollen as typically developed as in Cryptostegia or any other 

 of the Periploca), although in a less considerable degree of evolution; 

 and that it must rank in that order along with them." 



The author considers that the appendiculse of the stigma, from their 

 extreme minuteness must have eluded Mr. Brown's notice ; two other 

 points of difference lead the author to conclude that the plant exa- 

 mined by himself must have been different from Mr. Brown's. In 

 the first place he does not find the five hypogynous scales mentioned 

 in the generic definition ; the same scales are wanting, so far as he 

 has ascertained, in all the Periploceous genera allied to Cryptolepis, 

 including even Decalepis of Wight and Arnott. Secondly, the spe- 

 cies examined by the author has axillary instead of interpetiolar co- 

 rymbs, an important character in the habit. 



Many particulars relating to the reproductive organs are given, to- 

 gether with an amended generic character. The drawings for the 

 illustrative plate were made by Kureem Buksh, a native artist. 



IX. — On the existence of Spiral Cells in the Seeds of Acanthaceae. By 

 Mr. Richard Kippist, Libr.L.S. Communicated by the Secretary. 



Read March 17th, 1840. 



Botanists have long been aware of the existence of spiral vessels 

 in the envelopes of the seeds of several families of plants. Mr. Brown 

 detected them first in the pericarps of Casuarinae, afterwards in the 

 testa of some Orchideae. They were observed by Lessing in Compo- 

 sitae, by Horkel and Schleiden in Labiatse, Polemoniaceas and Hydro- 

 charidese ; and in the ' Botanical Register' is given an account of their 

 a[)pearance in the seeds of Collomia. We believe that the merit of 

 detecting these cells in the seeds of Acanthaceae is due to Mr. Kip- 

 pist, who has in this paper given an interesting detail of his researches. 

 The following is the author's account of his discovery. 



" My attention was first directed to this subject by witnessing the very beautiful 

 appearance under the microscope of an Acanthaceous seed, forming part of a collec- 

 tion brought by Mr. Holroyd from Upper Egypt, and presented by him to Professor 

 Don. It is of a lenticular form, covered, especially towards the margin, with whitish 

 hairs, which are closely appressed to the surface, and glued together at their extremi- 

 ties, so as rather to resemble corrugations of the testa than distinct hairs ; on being 

 }'laccd in water, however, they are set at liberty, and, expanding on all sides, are seen 



