TRANSACTIONS 
THE LINNEAN SOCIETY. 
I. On Welwitschia/ a new Genus of Gnetacese. 
By JOSEPH DALTON Hooker, M.D., F.R.S., V.P.L.S., F.G.S. 
(Plates I.-XIV.*) 
Read January 16th, and December 18th, 1862. 
Discovery and general remarks, p. 1. 
Technical description, p. 6. 
Trunk, p. 7. Anatomy of, p. 10. Development of, p. 16. 
Leaf, p. 17. Comparison with those of Conifers, p. 19. 
Inflorescence, p. 20. 
Hermaphrodite cone and flowers, p. 21. Comparison with Gnetacee, p. 23. 
Female cones, p. 24. Flower, &c., p. 25. Comparison of, with Gnetacee, p. 27. Ovule, p. 27. 
Comparison with gymnosperms, p. 28. Carpellary theory of integuments, p. 30. 
Fertilization and embryogeny, p. 31. Development of embryo, p. 34. Seed, p. 37. Ovular theory, 
p.37. Comparison with Conifere, Gnetacee, Loranthacee, and Santalacee, p. 38. 
Summary, p. 40. 8 
THE first notice of this singular plant that reached Europe was contained in a letter 
addressed by its discoverer, Dr. Frederic Welwitsch, A.L.S., to Sir William Hooker, 
dated St. Paul’s, Loanda, August 16, 1860. This letter, which was at once communi- 
cated to the Linnean Society and published in its Journal of Proceedings (vol. v. p. 182), 
was shortly followed by another, announcing the intention of its finder to send the 
specimens to Kew for examination, and expressing his hope that the results might be 
published in the Linnean Society’s Transactions. 
Dr. Welwitsch’s botanical attainments being well known and justly appreciated, his 
brief account sufficed to assure botanists that he had made a most remarkable discovery ; 
and soon after the publication of his letter, inquiries respecting the plant reached Kew 
from several parts of Europe ; indeed I have been assured by those who remember it, 
that, since the discovery of the Rafflesia Arnoldii, no vegetable production has excited so 
great an interest as the subject of the present memoir. 
* The expense of drawing these plates on stone was defrayed by a grant from the fund for the promotion of 
science, placed annually by Parliament at the disposal of the President and Council of the Royal Society. 
VOL. XXIV. B 
