LI 
MR. J. MIERS ON THE HIPPOCRATEACEA OF SOUTH AMERICA. : 323 
the stigma is larger, and divided into three patent or reflected lobes, corresponding with 
the cells of the ovary. Sometimes there is no style, and the stigmata are placed in an 
abnormal position, a structure that is elsewhere particularly noticed. 
The fruit presents itself in many forms, either capsular or drupaceous, dehiscent or 
indehiscent. That most known is the capsular form of Hippocratea, to understand 
which it is necessary to trace its growth from its origin; its very small 3-celled ovary at 
first throws out three elevated protuberances from its angles, which continue to grow 
upwards to an enormous length, at the same time that its axis does not grow at all, but re- 
mains atrophied—so that the placentæ rest stationary, forming the base of the immensely 
expanded cells thus generated; these expansions are upwards as well as transverse, 
forming at length, out of a single very small ovary, three large, radiating, oblong, trans- 
versely compressed, coriaceous capsules, each unilocular, containing from four to ten seeds, 
and sometimes splitting down the middle by a sutural line into two very compressed boat- 
shaped valves. The seeds are attached to the base of the cells, imbricated, with a similar 
number in each valve, and are nearly equal to the length and breadth of each cell; the 
upper or embryoniferous portion of each seed, for about one sixth of its length, is oval, 
somewhat inclined towards the sutures, very flat, coriaceous, and is carried up to the top 
of the cell upon a much broader, very membranaceous, wing-like support, which is a 
laminiform expansion of its outer integument: this wing has been supposed to be an 
expanded funicle; but this I much doubt: one of its margins, that furthest from the 
sutural line of the cell, is thickened into a narrow coriaceous tube, enclosing a simple 
chord of numerous spiral threads (the raphe), which, rising from the base, ascends to the 
bottom of the nucular portion above mentioned, runs along its opposite or ventral side, 
and terminates in the apical chalaza: this upper coriaceous nucular portion is unilocular, 
and lined with a semiadherent, thin inner integument, which covers the embryo; this 
fills the space of its cell, is without any trace of albumen, and consists of two or three 
parallel, thin, foliaceous cotyledons, of an oval form, slightly cordate at base, having in 
their sinus a short terete radicle, pointing somewhat centrifugally downwards; the hilar 
point of the seed is at the bottom of the marginal sheath of the raphe, where it is arti- 
culated upon a short cuneiform funicle, which remains persistent upon the placentiferous 
receptacle on the summit of the pedicel, even after the seeds have detached themselves at 
their articulation with it, and after the valves of the capsules have fallen off. 
A similar tricapsular development occurs in Prionostemma, with winged seeds of the 
same shape; but their nucular summit is much less compressed, and the cotyledons are 
thick and fleshy. 
In Hylenea and Pristimera we find the same kind of growth; but the capsules are 
more orbicular and not so much compressed ; the seeds are oval, nuculiform, without any 
large membranaceous wing; but, instead of this, the raphe is contained in a somewhat 
short stipitate support, which is a continuation of a longitudinal keel that runs along 
one side of the nucule. 
In Cuervea there is also a development of three capsules, two of which are sometimes 
abortive: these capsules are much larger in size, sometimes of extreme dimensions; they 
have a thinner and more testaceous periearp, are indehiscent, unilocular, and contain 
