44 GENERAL REMARKS ON THE 



have been given. According to Lamarck^ it consists of 

 the enlarged ovarium itself, perforated by the seed soon 

 after impregnation ; while MirbeP considers it as formed 

 of the scales of the female amentum, im.mediately sur- 

 rounding the organ, named by him cupula ; and considered 

 as containing the pistillum, but Avhich most other authors 

 have regarded as the pistillum itself. My observations 

 differ from both these accounts, for on examining the 

 female fructification of Taxiis before impregnation I find 

 the rudiments of the future berry, consisting at that period 

 of a narrow^ fleshy ring, surrounding the base only of the 

 cupula of jNIirbel, and very similar to the annular hypo- 

 gynous nectarium of many flowers. If this cupula, there- 

 fore, were the pistilhim itself, the berry of Taxus would 

 have an origin analogous to that of Balanites,^ as it has 

 been very lately described by Mirbel ; and, on the other 

 hand, if that author's view of the female fructification of 

 Taxus and Coniferse generally be adopted, it might then 

 to a certain degree be compared with the external cupula 

 of Dacrydium, which will be more particularly noticed 

 hereafter ; but from this it would still be very distinct both 

 in its texture and in its not enclosing in the early stage 

 the cupula ; on neither supposition, however, does its origin 

 agree with that of the berry of Exocarpus, which in some 

 respects more nearly resembles the fleshy receptacle of 

 Podocarpus. 



I have annexed Olaw to Santalacegg,'* not, however, con- 

 sidering it as absolutely belonging to the same family, but 

 571] as agreeing with it in some important circumstances ; 

 especially in the internal structure of its ovarium, and that 

 of its pericarpium and seed ; but as in Olax there appears 

 to be a donble floral envelope, as its antheriferous stamina 

 alternate with the segments of the inner envelope, and its 

 ovarium does not cohere with either, there are sufficient 

 grounds for regarding it, with Mirbel, as a distinct family. 



^ Enci/clop. botan. 3; p. 228. ^ Noun, hnlletin cles scien. 3, p. 73. 



3 Delile in mem. siir VEgypte, 3, p. 326. Ximenia segyptiaca, Liim, 



4 Prodr.Jl. Nov. Roll 357. 



