Mr. G. Lawson on Cinchonaceous Glands in Galiacea?. 165 



for that genus) to average ^th of an iueh in length by j^th. in 

 breadth. 



The Cinchonacece and Galiace<e form two well-marked groups 

 of plants, abundantly distinct from each other in habit and in 

 geographical distribution ; the one consisting of trees, shrubs, 

 and herbs, almost exclusively inhabiting the hotter parts of the 

 world, most of them eminently conspicuous for their oeconomical 

 products and the beauty of their broad foliage and flowers, 

 although some of their number are mean weeds ; the other com- 

 posed entirely of straggling herbaceous plants, with weak angular 

 stems and narrow verticillate leaves, inhabiting northern coun- 

 tries, and (if we except the Madder) alike inconspicuous for use 

 and ornament. Unfortunately, however, fructification does not 

 supply any character whereby those two ideally distinct groups of 

 plants can be clearly separated from each other ; and in the limi- 

 tation of natural orders, something more than a difference of 

 habit is considered desirable by all, and by many absolutely re- 

 quisite. Therefore, although the Cinchonacece and Galiacece are 

 kept separate by several of our best systematic writers, there is 

 still a considerable difference of opinion as to the propriety of so 

 doing, notwithstanding the detailed discussion of the subject at 

 different times by some of the most distinguished botanists of 

 Europe. 



The principal character whereby these two orders are sepa- 

 rated, depends upon the leaves of Cinchonacece being opposite 

 (sometimes verticillate), and furnished with interpetiolar stipides; 

 while Galiacece have normally verticillate leaves witliout stipules. 



DeCandolle, Bentham, and others, who regard Cinchonacece and 

 Galiacece as forming only one natural order, Rubiacece, reduce 

 the distinguishing character above indicated in the following 

 manner. They regard the Galiacece as opposite-leaved plants, 

 their foliaceous organs being in part true leaves, and in part leaf- 

 like stipules, for the following reasons : — 



1. That the foliaceous organs in Galiacece, if viewed as con- 

 sisting entirely of leaves, do not bear that relation to the angles 

 of the stem which is usual in Dicotyledons ; but that the relation 

 becomes apparent if only two of them are taken as leaves and 

 the rest as stipules. Only two of the apparent leaves have buds 

 in their axils. 



2. That in a number of cases, especially in Asperula, two op- 

 posite leaves are much larger than the others. 



3. That in Spermacocece and other tribes of Cinchona cere, the 

 stipules are connected with the petiole of the leaf into a sheath, 

 and that this sheath exists in Galiacece. 



4. That the number of parts in each whorl is not necessarily 

 some power of 3, as argued by Dr. Lindley (each leaf having two 

 stipules), but that taking two of the parts for leaves, it is imma- 



