382 ACCOUNT or a new genus oe plants, 



the flower, as well as to tlie disposition of vessels, this sup- 

 position will, I conclude, appear still more improbable than 

 that in support of which it is adduced. 



A second opinion, diametrically opposite to the former, 

 would regard the anthera of JRqfflcsia as only half a regular 

 anthera, whose two theca? are separated by portions of the 

 united filaments, Avhich, being produced beyond the an- 

 therse, together form the crenated limb of the column. 



This view, though less paradoxical than the first, will 

 hardly be considered as affording so probable an explana- 

 tion of structure as the third opinion ; according to which 

 each anthera would be regarded as complete, made up of 

 two united thec^, opening by a common foramen, and 

 internally subdivided into numerous vertical cells by per- 

 sistent portions of the confluent receptacles of the pollen ; 

 a structure not perhaps essentially different from that of 

 certain anthercC more obviously reducible to the supposed 

 type. 



Even in adopting this opinion, a question v\'ould still 

 216] remain respecting the limb of the column under which the 

 antherae are inserted ; namely, whether it is to be viewed 

 as an imperfectly developed stigma, or as made up of pro- 

 cesses of the united filaments. In support of the former 

 supposition the nearly similar relation of the sexual organs 

 in certain Asarince may be adduced ; and in favour of the 

 latter, not only their disposition and form in other plants 

 of the same natural family, but also the vascular structure 

 of the column itself; the limb deriving its vessels from 

 branches of the same fasciculi that supply the anthera} 

 (plate 18 (20),/. 1). If this latter view, however, of the 

 origin of tlie limb were admitfed, it might be considered 

 not altogether improbable, that even the corniculate pro- 

 cesses of the disk of the column, each of which has a cen- 

 tral vascular cord, are of the same nature. For if, on the 

 other hand, these processes are to be regarded as imperfect 

 styles or stigmata, their number and disposition would in- 

 dicate a structure of ovarium to be found only in families 

 to which it is not probable at least that Babesia can 

 be nearly related, as AnnonacecB and the singular genus 



