STYLIDIUM. 



STYIIACE^E. 



with the style, the whole forming a single elongated column ; the 

 anthen an 1- or Swelled ; when the latter, they lie over the stigma ; 

 the pollen U globose, simple, sometime* angular ; the ovary U 2-celled, 

 or sometimes 1-oalled from a coutractiou of the dissepiment, many- 

 seeded, with a single gland in front, or two opposite ones ; the stylo 

 is one with the filaments, and the stigma, which U simple or bifid, is 

 inclosed and hidden by the anther*. The fruit is a capsule, with two 

 valres and two cells ; the seeds are indefinite, small, erect, sometimes 

 sttlked ; the embryo is minute, and iuclosed within a fleshy somewhat 

 oilv albumen. This curious order of plants is allied to Campanutacta 

 and Ooodenvuta, but the peculiar union of its filaments and style 

 into a single column distinguishes it at once. This column possesses 

 a considerable degree of irritability. [STYLIDH si.J There are only 

 two grnera of this order known besides Stytuiiuin. They are chiefly 

 fmnd in Australia, but species have been discyvere 1 on the Himalayan, 

 (' ylon. and the South Sea Islands. Their properties are unknown. 



Sl'YI.I'DIlTH (a diminution of 'stylus,' a column), the mime of a 

 penus of Plants, the type of the natural order Stylidiacca. The essen- 

 tial characters of this genus are : Calyx 2-lipped ; corolla irregular, 

 A -parted, form of the segments equal, the fifth smaller, forming a 

 Nbvlluru, which is deflected ; column consisting of filament* and style, 

 rrflexed, with a double curve ; anthers with two lobes widely sepa- 

 rated ; stigma obtuse, undivided ; capsule bilocular, with the dissepi- 

 ment sometimes superiorly incomplete. This is chiefly ou Australian 

 genus of plants, and is remarkable for iU gyuaudrous structure, and 

 for the irritability of the column formed by the union of filaments 

 and style. Irritability U Been in many genera allied to this, as in the 

 indusium of Goodenia. The part which exhibits movement on being 

 excited U the curved column, and the irritability is confined to a small 

 |K>rtion only of the column near its base. In the natural state the 

 column projects from beyond the flower, and hangs dowu over the 

 smaller petal or labellum, and the irritable part of it is in contact with 

 the labellum. The movement of the column consists in raising itself 

 from this deflected position to that of perfect uprightness. In the bud, 

 the column does not possess this power, but as the anthers develop, 

 tljin property of the column increases, and is at its greatest intensity 

 at the time of the dehiscence of the anthen, and entirely ceases when 

 the impregnation of the ovules has taken place. During this process 

 the anthers also undergo a change; previous to dchiaceuco, they entirely 

 cover the stigma, but after this process has taken place, the stigma is 

 fully exposed, and remains so. The irritability is then developed 

 with the anther : it is at its greatest height whilst the anther is per- 

 forming iU function, aud ceases with the function of that organ. The 

 movement of the column is produced by external stimulants or tho 

 application of a solid body. Exposure to heat will erect the column, 

 and its withdrawal will cause it to return to its natural position. 

 After returning to this state, it requires ten or fifteen minutes' rest 

 before it will again exhibit irritability. When elevated, the column 

 cannot be made to return by force to its bent position. When the 

 movement takes place naturally, it is slow aud regular, and when 

 under the influence of artificial excitanU, it occurs suddenly and by 

 j -rks. The final cause of these movements is evidently connected with 

 impregnation, and it seems that the pollen is conveyed to the stigma 

 whilst the column is upright, which could not bo the case whilst it 

 was dependent. 



The species of this gi-nus described by Mr. Brown, in hU 'Prodromus 

 Fiona Nova Hollandua/ are forty-five in number ; besides these there 

 are two or three natives of the Kant Indies. 



STY'UFEK,or ST1LIFEU (Brodcrip), a family of Pectinibranchiate 

 Moilutca. The shell is hyalim-, turbinaWd, the apex of tho spire 

 mucrouate. The aperture subovate, acuminated above. The external 

 lip acute and linnatcd. Animal with the mantle thick, fleshy, and 

 cup-tbaped, covering the last whorls of the shell. The proboscis very 

 lung aud retractile. The tentacles round, thick, subacuminate, aud 

 situate at the base of the proboscis. Eyes very small, sessile at the 

 baa* of the tentacles. Stem of the branobia military. Animal marine, 

 penetrating into the integument of the star-fish. 



& AUcrwla (Brod.). Mr. Broderip states that the arrival of this 

 species with the soft parts bad afforded date for a generic character, 

 indicating a distinct family among the PcctimbranchuUa, the form of 

 whose mantle differs from any other genus of that order. This mantle, 

 which in of n green hue, is thick, fleshy, and cup-shaped, with a small 

 aperture at iU bastyand a free posterior margin, enveloping the soft 

 parts and the lant volutions of the shell, which has thus somewhat 

 the ap|>earance of a small scorn set in its cup. Ou the ventral aspect 

 of the mantis is the rudiment of a foot, and from the small basal 

 aperture a retractile proboscis (which, when exsertod, is as long as 

 the whole animal) is protruded. At the base of the proboscis are 

 two Hack, round, somewhat pointed tentecula; and at the base ol 

 them are the eyes, or rxther, ocular specks without pedicles. The 

 brancbia is placed on a single stem. At the base of the proboscis U 

 a spherical muscular stomach, au 1 the intestine aicends into the spire 

 of the shell, where it becomes attached to the liver, which in K. Atteri- 

 cola is of an orange colour. 



Mr. Cumiug found this elegant parasite burrowed in different parts 

 of the rays of the oral disc of Aiteritu tolarit. It was almost hidden 

 from sight, so deeply don the animal penetrate into the substance. ol 

 the star-fish, in which it makes a comfortable cyst for itself, and 



wherein it most probably turns by the aid of its rudimentary foot 

 All the specimens iufettod with these testaceous molluscs apgwared to 

 be in the best health, though there U reason to believe that they feed 

 upon the juices of the star-fish. Mr. Broderip observes that Styliftr 

 (with that instinct of self-preservation which i* imparted to all p.ira- 

 sites whose existence depends upon that of their nidus) appears, like 

 the larvte of the ichneumon tribes among insects, to avoid the vital 

 parts; fur in no instance did Mr. (Juming find it iinbadded anywhere 

 save in the ray*, though some of the individuals had penetrated at 

 their base, and very near tho dine. When extracted, the older shells 

 have the appearance of a milky-clouded glass-bubble : the younger 

 shells Mr. Brodcrip found of an unclouded transparency. 



Slylifer Asttrieola. (Sowerby'n ' Genera.') 



a, a portion of Atlfi-iaa avtarin, showing 5. astericola in its cyst ; 6, a fine 

 specimen of the shell ; c, d, vicwa of the ujper and under tide of the came, 

 magnified. 



Mr. Broderip remarks that Dr. Turtou, in tho second volume of the 

 ' Zoological Journal,' p. Sti7, pi. 13, describes and figures a shell under 

 tho na.meofP/tagiancllattyIiffi'a, adding that he found a dozen attached 

 to the species of Eclunut etculeatiu dredged upiu Torbay. Mr. Broderip 

 observes that it is clear that Dr. Turtou's shell is not a PfuuianeUa, 

 for it is described as having no operculum, aud the similarity of the 

 shell leaves uo doubt, when joined to the parasitic habits of the 

 animals, that it is one of the congeners of Slylifer Aitericola. Mr. 

 Brodcrip therefore names Dr. Turtou's specimen & Turtuiri. 



Slylifer Turtoni, natural *Uc nd magnified. (' Zool. Journ.') 



Mr. O. 13. Sowerby furnished Mr. Broderip with a third species, 

 which, though its habits were unknown to the latter, he consider! to 

 be referriblo to this genus, and he names it S. mbulattu ; it U so beau - 



Slylifer lubulatui, natural sUe and magnified. (Sowcrby's ' Centra.') 



tifully transparent, that in fine specimens the colmnella can be as dis- 

 tinctly seen as if there weru no intervening medium; and its long 

 apex, which consists of many close-set whorls, is generally out of the 

 perpendicular. 



(Broderip, in Sowerby's Otnera of Recent and I'ouil Sheik, Number 

 xxxviii.) 



STYLINA, [MADREI-IITLLIIEA.] 



STY LOCK RUS. [CKRVIDA] 



STYLOt'OKA. [MAURBPOR>GA.] 



8TYLOP3. [STRErslPTERA.] 



STYRA'CE.*:, Storaxteorlt, a small natural order of Plants, placed 

 by Lindley in his Polycarpous group of Mouopetolous Exogens. The 



