NAMED RArPLESIA. 377 



To the foregoing description of Tlafjlcsia it is necessary 

 to add some observations explanatory of structure; and I 

 sliall also offer a few conjectures on certain points of the 

 economy of the plant, and on its affinities. 



The great apparent simj)licity in the internal structure of 

 every part, especially in a flower of such enormous size, is 

 in the first i)lace deserving of notice. 



Tliis observation particularly ap])lies to the Column, which 

 is found to consist of a uniform cellular texture, with a very 

 small proportion of vessels. The cells or utriculi are [-^lo 

 nearly spha^rical, slightly angular from mutual pressure, 

 and, in the specimens examined at least, easily separal)le 

 from each other without laceration. I have not been able 

 to detect ])erforations on any part of tlieir surface ; but 

 extremely minute granules, originally contained in great 

 abundance in the cells, and frequently found adhering to 

 their parietes, may readily be mistaken for pores. 



The structure of vessels either in the column, perianthium 

 or bracteae, in all of which they are apparently similar, has 

 not been satisfactorily ascertained. They may be supposed 

 to approach most nearly to the ligneous, though certainly 

 unaccompanied by spiral vessels, which do not appear to 

 exist in any ])art of the plant. 



The same internal structure is continued b(?lowthe origin 

 of the bracteac, down to the line at which the vessels of the 

 root appear to terminate, and where an evident change takes 

 place (y«/^ 18 (20) and 20 (22),/ 1). 



The PerianiJdum and Bractece in their cellular texture 

 very nearly agree with the column, except that in their 

 more foliaceous parts the cells are considerably elongated. 



I have not found in any part of their suiface, or in that 

 of the column, those areolae universally considered as cuti- 

 cular pores, and which, though of very general occurrence, 

 do not perhaps exist in the imperfectly developed leaves of 

 plants parasitic on roots. 



In the external composition of the colunm, the part most 

 deserving of attention is the Antliera ; for in apparent 

 origin, as well as in form and structure, it presents the 



