344 Excerpta Botanica. 



interesting observations of the luminous properties of Zoophytes. 

 At the same time, it does not appear that Mr. Landsborough, in com- 

 municating his observations, has laid any claim to priority. Not 

 having seen Mr. Hassall's paper, his record of phpenomena of the same 

 class which have come under his personal notice has still its indepen- 

 dent value. The observations of each of our correspondents will be 

 most acceptable to the lovers of natural history ; and the degree of 

 originahty which they may possess will no doubt be duly estimated 

 by those who are most extensively acquainted with what has been 

 written upon the subject. Both agree in stating that the inquiry was 

 suggested to them by the remark of Mr. Stewart. — Ed.] 



XLV. — Excerpta Botanica, or abridged Extracts translated 

 from the Foreign Journals, illustrative of, or connected with, 

 the Botany of Great Britain. By W. A. Leighton, Esq., 

 B.A., F.B.S.E., &c. 



No. 7- Notes on the genus Corylus. By Ed. Spach. (Ann. 

 des Sc. Nat. n. s. xvi. 98.) 



Generic Characters. 



Flores monoici, hiemales, foliis multo prsecociores : mascult 5- ad 8- 

 andri, aperianthi, in amenta squamosa, ebracteolata, cylindracea, 

 gracilia, multiflora, jam eestate praeteriti anni nascentia moxque 

 perulis denudata dispositi; fceminei perianthio adnato priediti, 

 staminibus (imo rudimentariis) omnino orbati, in gloraerulos 

 jiarvos sub-multifloros, sub anthesi gemmaceos sessiles perulis 

 (per acta anthesi tandem deciduis) obtectos, post anthesin de- 

 miim in ramulum foliatum excrescentes aggregati, singuli in- 

 vohicrati. 



Amenta mascula lateralia v. lateralia terminaliaque (in ramulis prse- 

 teriti anni), e singulis gemmis ad rachin breviusculam nunc 

 gemina (rar6 solitaria), nunc 8 ad 6-spicata, jam virginea pen- 

 dula. Squama staminiferce pluriseriatim imbricatse, uniflorae, 

 concavse, unguiculatse, baud peltatse, subverticales, subcoriacese, 

 ciliolatcE, staminibus longiores, cuneato-obovatse, mucronatse, 

 antice appendicibus 2 (squamse subconformibus et paulo longi- 

 oribus) inferne cum ungue confluentibus instructse. Stamina 

 secus squamarum basin inordinatim inserta. Filam.enta brevia, 

 capillaria, indivisa, sestivatione recta. Antheros monothecse, 

 ellipticse, 2-valves, dorso affixae, apice barbatae. [Filamentis 

 indivisis, antheris monothecis, staminibusque igitur quasi di- 

 midiatis, Corylus a cseteris affinibus generibus omnibus dilfert.] 



Glomeruli fceminei solitaxii, sub anthesi laterales (ad ramulos prseteriti 

 anni, nunc ex iisdem axillis ac amenta mascula, nunc ex axillis 

 inferioribus, semper autem ex aliis gemmis), squamosi. Invo- 

 lucra (bub anthesi minima, perulis obtecta, setulis rigidis si- 

 mul ac ovaria densissime vestita) subcampaniformia, varie divisa, 

 in rachi brevissima spicata, imbricata, geminatim inserta, plera- 

 que postea aborttientia ; par quodvis bractea solitaria herbacea 



