214 Prof. G. Gulliver on Raphides. 
tomy and physiology. After a while, however, it was seen that 
anatomy would occasionally, as was exemplified in Juncacee and 
Hymenophyllex (Annals, Aug., Oct., and Dec. 1863), afford good 
diagnoses even between allied vascular plants ; and the value of 
such characters in mosses had long been known. It was not before 
a large accumulation of my notes had been examined that crystals 
were thought of in this point of view; for they had not even been 
particularly looked after, and were merely noted, whenever seen, 
long before their significance as characters was suspected. But 
when every one of those notes of raphides had been picked out, it 
was very unexpectedly discovered that the plants in which they 
occurred would sometimes come under certain orderly arrange- 
ments. Thus, not a single species belonging to the orders Ona- 
graceze and Galiaceze was without a note of raphides, while in 
no single instance were these acicular crystals noted in the 
next allied orders. And, conversely, a single order (Hydro- 
charidaceze, for instance) in which raphides were regularly want- 
ing would be surrounded by orders in which raphides were as 
constantly abounding. Then repeated experimental trials proved 
that raphis-bearing is an essential and intrinsic, plain and cha- 
racteristic phenomenon throughout the life of certain species. 
Accordingly the conviction arose that such observations, among 
the infinite details of Nature, might add to our knowledge of the 
affinities and contrasts of some plants and of their true position 
in her system. So the inquiry was further pursued, with the 
results already given in these communications, and to be conti- 
nued in others awaiting publication. Among the most remark- 
able of these results is the fact, that whenever raphides afford 
a diagnostic between two plants, it will be so much more funda- 
mental and universal than any other single character yet in 
use, that mere fragments of those plants, at any period of their 
growth, may be sufficient to show the difference. And in this 
sense only have these epithets been used by me in relation to 
this subject. 
Orchidacee.—We have already seen raphides abounding ge- 
nerally throughout these plants in the only four British species 
examined. Hence it appeared interesting to extend the inquiry 
to the exotic species, and especially to the epiphytes of the order ; 
which I have been enabled to do through the courtesy of Dr. 
Hooker and Mr. De Carle Sowerby. The following are notes of 
parts of fresh plants received on January 26 and February 6 :— 
Isochilus linearis: raphides very scanty in leaves and stem, but 
very plentiful in bundles in the fleshy root, without starch ; dotted 
chains of cells in stem. Sobralia macrantha: raphides rather 
numerous in the stem, leaves, and the parts of fructification. 
Calanthe vestita: raphides abundant in scape, bracts, petals, and 
. \ 
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