288 NEPENTHACE.E. [Diclinous Exogens. 



have formerly coincided with those Botanists. But the adherent ovary of Birth- 

 worts, their highly developed calyx, axile placentation, and hermaphrodite flowers, 

 are serious difficulties in the way of a close contact between them and Nepenths, 

 unless the peculiar structure of the wood, the consideration of which I for the 

 present abandon, should lead to the final establishment of the Class of Homogens, 

 in which case Nepenths and Birthworts will be brought into contact, or at least 

 a near neighbourhood. For the present, the true position of this Order must be re- 

 garded as an undetermined point. In the meanwhile it may be observed, that to 

 station it in the Euphorbial Alliance will be to violate as few affinities as by taking any 

 other course. Its points of agreements are its unisexual flowers, albuminous seeds, in- 

 complete floral envelopes, and climbing habit. Its great disagreement consists in its 

 indefinite seeds, and peculiar woody structure, which is, however, in some respects 

 without example. 



There is a good account of the germination of Nepenthes, in Jameson's Journal for 

 April 1830, from which it may be concluded that the long loose tunic of the seed is in- 

 tended to act at first as a buoy, to float the seed upon the surface of the water, and 

 afterwards as an anchor, to keep it fast upon the mud until it can have struck root. 



Natives of swamps in the East Indies and China. 



Properties unknown. The water contained in the unopened pitcher of a plant which 

 flowered in the Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, was found by Dr. Turner " to emit, while 

 boiling, an odour like baked apples, from containing a trace of vegetable matter, and to 

 yield minute crystals of superoxalate of potash on being slowly evaporated to dryness." 



GRNUS. 

 Nepenthes, L. 

 Phyllamphora, Lour. 



Position 



Numbers. Gen. 1. Sp. 6 ?. 

 Sarraceniacca i 



Sarraccmacece ? 



•;. — Euphorbiaceje?. — Nepenthace.e. 



A ristolochiacece 1 



Menispermaccce 'f 



In the VerttandeJ, over de Naturl. Gexhied. Nederlandsche, is a long Dutch dissertation by Korthals, 

 which, I regret to say, I cannot read. He describes eight species, and figures good and copious 

 details of the anatomy of the stem and of the fructification ; from which it seems that the ovules 

 are pendulous, with a very long tubular foramen, which eventually becomes one of the tails of 

 the seed. 



