Mr. J. Miers on the Bignoniacese. 261 



of the seeds bear some analogy to a somewhat similar develop- 

 ment in Sparattosperma and Astianthus among Bignoniacea. 



The PedaliacetB (excluding Sesamea for reasons to be presently 

 stated) correspond in the constitution of their carpels with the 

 Crescentiacea, and therefore, in some degree, with the Eccremo- 

 carpece. The ovary generally consists of two carpels, placenti- 

 ferous on their midribs and conjoined by their sterile margins ; 

 it is therefore 1-locular, with two opposite parietal rig. ig. 

 prominent placentae formed of two very recurved la- 

 mellar plates, which bear the ovules on their margins 

 (fig. 18) : hence the fruit, by the growth and subse- 

 quent hardening of the placentse, becomes pseudo-4-locular. The 

 figure of the ovary and fruit of Martynia annvxi given by Gaertner 

 (de Fruct. tab. 110) affords a very correct idea of this structure, 

 as I had an opportunity of verifying by an examination of the 

 seed, during its several stages of growth, when on my journey 

 across the Pampas. Taking this example as an exponent of the 

 general structure of this group, it appears to establish its right 

 to a distinct ordinal rank among the Bignonial alliance. 



The Sesamea, in the structure of their carpels, differ from all 

 the before-mentioned groups, and should therefore be excluded 

 from the Bignonial alliance. Their ovary consists normally of 

 four carpellary leaves, placentiferous (not on their midribs, but) 

 upon their margins, which are inflected and meet in one com- 

 mon axis, where they form a central column sur- pj ^g 

 rounded by four cells which lie in parallel pairs ^j*.=v^=i=^ 

 (fig. 19) ; thus conjoined, the capsular fruit be- )/=^^=^ 

 comes 4-celled and 2-valved, the seeds remaining ^=3^=^ 

 attached to the central column, which separates from the valves. 

 DeCandolle (Prodr. ix. 253) arranged the Pedalinea as a tribe of 

 the Sesamece; but, from the great difference in the normal consti- 

 tution of their carpels, this union cannot be maintained. End- 

 licher, on the other hand (Gen. Plant. 709 and 723), places the 

 Sesamecp at a considerable distance in the system from Pedalinece, 

 ranking the latter before Orobanchacece, and considering the 

 former as a suborder of the Bignoniaceee, from which they cer- 

 tainly differ very widely. In many respects the Sesamacea will 

 be found to approach Verbenacea : there is a great similarity in 

 the form of their calyx and corolla ; but in the one their divisions 

 are five, and in the other four : Priva, however, is 5-merous, as 

 in Sesamum. Ceratotheca has four didynamous stamens, as in 

 Verbena ; while Priva has the rudiment of a fifth stamen, as in 

 Sesamum. Ischnia verbenacea has flowers like those of Verbena, 

 and has the habit of that genus. In Tamonea and Verbena 

 {Shuttleworthia) the anthers are furnished with apicular append- 

 ages, as in Sesamum and its congeners; and the capsule of 



