90 



BALAXOPHORACE/E. 



[Rhizogess. 



" In endeavouring to determine the affinities of Balanophorea>, I have confined my 

 attention to the organs of reproduction, which, whether male or female, are perfect, 

 and typical of Phamogainic plants in all respects, though reduced m number and 

 proportion of parts; at the same time rejecting the more prominent, but comparatively 

 unimportant characters of growth and appearance, colour, parasitism, and the inability 

 of most observers to find embryos in some, such being conspicuous in others. Ihe 

 exogenous arrangement of the vascular bundles of the rhizomes lobed embryo ot 

 Corynea, and decidedly dicotyledonous one of Mystropetalum are the most important 

 positive characters hitherto observed, by which to determine the division ot the 

 vegetable kingdom to which Balanophorese should be referred, which is hence JJico- 

 tyledones. The one-celled inferior ovarium, with often two styles, adherent two-lipped 

 or truncate perianth, unisexual flowers, epigynous stamen when the flowers are 

 bisexual, solitary pendulous ovule, and the structure of the albumen and embryo 

 wherever these are made out, are all typical of plants referred to or closely related to 

 Haloragete, an order in which there is a great tendency to imperfection or the floral 

 organs. The female inflorescence of Lepidophyton (n. g. ined.) differs in no respects, 

 except in having larger bractero, from that of Gunnera scabra ; whilst the dense 

 albumen of all Balanophorese, composed of large grains covered with a membranous 

 testa, that adheres to the walls of the pericarp, and the minute embryo, also 

 characterize the seed of all species of Gunnera. The bisexual monandrous flowers ot 

 Cynomorium in many respects closely resemble those of Hippuris, and its perianth u 

 more highly developed, though more irregular in insertion. Equally strong and 

 decided points of affinity may be found in the male flowers, both in the development 

 and suppression of their parts, but such details are unsuited to these pages. 



" Balanophoreaj are found on the roots of various Dicotyledonous plants (Vines, 

 Maples, Oaks, Araliacese, &c. &c.) and abound in the mountains of tropical countries, 

 especially the Andes of Peru and Colombia, the Himalaya (where they ascend 

 to 11,000 feet in Lat. 28° N.) and Khasia Mountains of India. In the old world one 

 (Cynomorium) is found in Malta, N. Africa, the Levant, and Canaries ; another on the 

 west coast of Africa; Sarcophyte in South Africa. Eight or ten species inhabit the 

 Indian Continent, and others its islands, the north coast of Australia and Polynesia. 

 As many are found in Mexico, Central and South America, and Jamaica (where 

 Phyllocoryne, n. g. ined., is called Jim Crow's Nose). A few are Brazilian, and 

 Mr. Miers informs us that one grows on the Pampas. 



" The direct uses are few. They seem, as far as anything is known of them, to be 

 styptics. The Cynomorium coccineum, or Fungus melitensis of the apothecaries, 

 long had a great reputation in that way ; and various kinds of Helosis have had a 

 similar character. Sarcophyte, a Cape plant, is said to have an atrocious odour. 

 Poppig says, that Ombrophytum, which in Peru springs up suddenly after rain, in 

 the manner of the toadstool, is called Mays del Monte, in consequence of its re- 

 semblance to a kind of Maize, and is quite insipid, on which account it is cooked and 

 eaten like Fungi. This, if true, presents a remarkable contrast with the Balanophoras 

 of India, whose spikes are very slowly developed, and decay after ripening their seeds 

 very gradually indeed. Lepidophytum is also eaten in Bolivia. Cups, used throughout 

 Tibet, are turned from knots produced on the roots of maples by the Himalayan 

 species." 



GENERA. 



Tribe— Balanophoridse. 

 Balanophora, Forrt. 



...... i ii.ll. 



Pol iplethia, Griff 

 ocordylii, Wall 



1 1 Lbe -< lynomoricta. 



i 'yiiKinoriiim, Michil. 

 Tribe — Sard iphytii lee. 



Sarcophyte, sparm. 



[chthyosma, Schlecht. 



Tribe — Lophophytidese. 

 Lophophytum, Scfiott. 



Archimedea, In 

 Ombrophytum, Popp. <(■ Ewdl 

 Lepidophytum, BookJU. 



Tribe — Helosidese. 

 Helosis, Rich. 



CcUdasia, Mut. 



Lathreeophiia, Leaud. 

 Langsdorffia. Mart. 

 Scybalium, Schott. 

 Phseoeordylis, Griff. 



? RhopalcH m mis, Juiigh. 

 Corynea, BookJU. 

 Phyllocoryne, BookJU. 

 1 



Thonningin. Schum. 

 Ilarnatostrobus, Bndl. 



J L). Hooker. 



