Mr. J. Miers on the Menispermaceae. 



fibres, are seen on the surface of the putamen, corresponding 

 with the Hues of junction of these gland-shaped masses. After 

 the fruit has become dried, these glands cannot be detected, 

 though the cancellated furrows always remain. Similar cancel- 

 lated furrows, filled with fibres, are seen on the putamen in 

 Coscinium and Anelasma, whence it may be inferred that, in the 

 ripe state, their mesocarp is constituted as in Anomospermum. 



The seed, in all the Menispermaceous plants that have fallen 

 under my observation, is covered by two thin membranaceous 

 integuments, the inner one being of delicate texture ; the raphe 

 is always found on the ventral face of the outer one, in the form 

 of a thickened line of a darker colour ; and here generally is 

 seen a "thin carinated duplicature of this integument, extending 

 along the whole length of the placenta, and this duplicature 

 enters into a corresponding furrow on the condyle, by which, at 

 the period of maturity, the seed is found attached. 



Albumen is present in the genera of all the tribes, except in 

 those of one, where it is altogether wanting. In the tribes 

 Leptogonece and Platygonece it is simple and homogeneous ; in 

 Anamirta, among JJeteroclinece, it is nearly so. In Anomosper- 

 mum and in most of the Tiliacorea, where the embryo is terete, 

 the thick circumambient albumen is cleft transversely, almost 

 to the centre, by numerous fissures, into which the integument 

 enters, thus producing a ruminated structure similar to that 

 seen in the Anonacece. In the Heterocliniece the albumen con- 

 sists of two nearly distinct plates, that on the dorsal face being 

 like a thin simple lamina, while that on the ventral side is much 

 thicker and deeply cleft, as before mentioned, by a number of 

 irregular fissures penetrating nearly its whole depth. In the 

 PachygonecE, where Ihe albumen is wanting, the embryo occu- 

 pies the entire space of the cell. 



The form of the embryo is various. In all the genera of the 

 Leptogonea it is slender and terete, with the radicle equal in 

 diameter to the cotyledons, and nearly of equal length, some- 

 times a very little longer or a little shorter. In Anomospermum 

 the embryo is also slender and terete ; but the cotyledons, which 

 are coequal in diameter with the radicle, are ten times its 

 length. In Tiliacora, where the embryo is of similar form, the 

 cotyledons are only twice the length of the radicle. In all the 

 Platygonece the radicle is always terete ; but the cotyledons are 

 flattened, subfoliaceous, and at least double its breadth, often 

 much broader. Throughout the preceding instances, the coty- 

 ledons are adpressed and contiguous, as in ordinary cases, being 

 decumbent in the Packygonece, Anomospermece, and Hypserpea, but 

 incumbent in the Tiliacorea,Leptogonece,a.ndPlatygonea : these are 

 important distinctions, that merit more attention than they have 



