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Botany and Zoology. 437 



leaf, and supposing the filament to subdivide lilce tlie petiole does [sic] in 

 such ca^^es," This is certainly the way ^Ye regard it; and as respects the 

 application of this hypothesis to the stamens of Cruciferae, we do not see 

 what argument Megacarpcca polyandra brings agaizist it; as the increase 

 in the number of stamens is quite as explicable upon this as upon the 

 ordinary theory. Indeed our author's view that the glands represent sup- 

 pressed stamens would seem to be negatived by this very case, since the 

 glands have not disappeared with the increase of the stamens, but the 



contrary. 



The abnormal fertile flowers of Viola and Impatkns are not "achhV 

 mydeous," as our author states them to be (p. 90) : generally they are 

 not even apetalous. 



In the botanical sense of the word, and as it is employed in the same 

 sentence fp. U3) the petals of the vine cannot be said "to cohere above.^ 

 The valvate petals are merely caducous for the most part before expand- 

 ing, just as is more decidedly the case in many Araliace?e. In passing, 

 we remark that a valvate aestivation of the coroUa in the latter is much 

 less distinctive than our author supposes (p. 311). Aralia itself has the 

 petals imbricated in the bud. 



It is becoming common to regard the tube of a so-called superior calyx 

 as a cup-like receptacle; and there appears to be reason for it in Cac- 

 tacctB and some other cases. Prof. Henfrey would seem to apply this 

 :iew universally; "for example, in Rosaceae, Uuibijllifer[e, Cucurbitaceae, 

 Compositte" [I] ttc. But if apph'ed to Mosa, why not to the Sanguisorbese 

 and to other Rosacea^ with a calyx-tube lined with a disk bearing the 

 stamens, &c. ? And is the cup a receptacle in those Melastomaccte which 

 have an aduate ovary, but a calyx when the ovary is free? And how is 

 it when the ovary and cup cohere only by the nerves of the latter? 



For palc(€ Prof. Ilenfrey coins an English word pales (p. 110), of which 

 the singular AYOuld probably be /^a^^?. We would propose to call them 

 palets. 



There are convincing reasons why the perigjmium of Carex cannot be 

 regarded as a perianth, as our author takes it to be (p. 111). 



It is not correct to say that the false dissepiments of Datura are formed 

 "while the seeds are ripening" (p. 124); they equally exist in the ovary. 

 And we doubt if the transverse false septa in Cathariocarjms and other 

 Leguminosre are "placental developments." 



We are pleased to find that our author prefers to consider placentre as 

 belonging to the carpels rather than to the axis, although the close of 

 paragraph 226 appears to imply the contrary. 



We cannot agree tliat, "externally the campylotropous ovule resembles 

 the anatropous, except that there is no rhaphe," (p. 130). No attentive 

 student could fail to recognize the difference, especially in the fomilies 

 cited (Crucifcrae and Caryophyllacere). 



Ripening nmst be regarded in a remarkably broad sense when it is 



;d with emphasis, "tliat the distinction between endocarps and epi- 



carps, in the common stone-fruits, arises entirely during^ the ripening of 



fruit." Also: "it is well knoAvn that the easy separation of the pulp 



stated 



from the stone is a sign of ripeness." When are cling-stone peaches 

 ripe I Again : " In Taxus * * during the rqnming of the seed a succu- 



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