Mr. J. Miers on several genera hitherto placed in Solanacee. 175 
this tribe, Scopolia, Physoclena, Thinogeton and Cacabus, genera 
which offer a striking affinity to one another in their most essen- 
tial characters, and there can be little doubt that they all form 
a portion of one very distinct group. These characters coincide 
for the most part with those of Hyoscyamus, and the only con- 
sideration wanting to complete their affinity is the zstivation of 
their corolla. The funnel-shaped and almost entire border of 
the corolla in those genera would almost necessarily imply the 
regular plicature of its campanular portion, but it is probable 
that at the same time the lobes in estivation may be somewhat 
imbricate, as is distinctly observable in Nierembergia and Petu- 
nia. It is impossible to determine this question from dried spe- 
cimens, and it can only be ascertained from the examination of 
living plants. Should the estivation be found, on the contrary, 
to be entirely induplicato-valvate, these four genera would not 
belong to Atropacee, but must be referred to Solanacee, where 
they would naturally find their place as a capsular tribe preceding 
the Jaborosee. 
8. Atropee.—This very distinct group is distinguishable from 
the other tribes by its baccate fruit, and its ovary devoid of a 
‘fleshy epigynous gland. The first four genera possess a perennial 
root, with numerous deciduous herbaceous stems, large showy 
flowers, and a somewhat shrubby habit, with dense foliage and 
large leaves. Lycium, on the contrary, is a straggling shrub with 
woody stems, and frequently with spinous branches: its flowers 
are small. ‘These differences are only generic, and do not offer 
sufficient reasons for separating the latter genus as a tribe distinct 
from the others. 
no apparent hypogynous disc is to be seen among the Primulacee, it is oc- 
casionally discernible, but I believe only in those genera where the capsule 
bursts into valves by the longitudinal carpellary nervures, as in Lysimachia, 
of which genus Nees v. Esenb. in his ‘ Gen. Pl. Fl. Germ.’ says distinctly, 
“ Germen liberum basi disco annuliformi cinctum.”” This view of the case, 
though quite hypothetical, is rendered still more probable by the facts ob- 
servable in the capsule of Plantago, which offers a membranaceous pyxi- 
dium very similar to that of 4nagallis. At an early period the future trans- 
verse line of dehiscence is discernible in the ovarium, as in Anagallis, but it 
is then more approximate to the base, proving that the growth of its lower 
portion is afterwards more considerable than the upper part; as it advances 
towards maturity the zonal line becomes more marked, the upper portion 
of the pericarpial covering being of a deeper green hue and more opake, 
while the lower moiety is distinctly hyaline and transparent, and of more 
slender texture; on becoming ripe, the greater indurescence of the upper 
half, by desiccation, is still more evident, facts whic hlead to the only reason- 
able conclusion, that the upper portion of the ovarium is covered by a ve 
thin epigynous glandular covering, as in Hyoscyamus, but too thin to be 
readily detected in parts of such very slender texture: that it does exist, is 
however proved by the circumstance of that part of the pericarpial covering 
being always less pervious to light, when viewed under the microscope, than 
the lower moiety. 
