420 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JUNE 
if the Berberidee do not constitute a very natural order, even if 
we exclude Akebia and the other Lardizabalee. With Berberis 
as the type, it seems unnatural that this order should also com- 
prise genera of such peculiar habit and structure as Podophyllum, 
Jeffersonia, Achlys and Diphylleia. At.least Podophyllum shows 
several affinities with Actaa, and was placed next to it by Jus- 
sieu and St. Hilaire? under Ranunculacee. Another view was 
held by A. P. De Candolle, who placed the genus together with 
Jeffersonia and Achlys in his seventh order, Podophyllee, refer- 
ring Diphylleia to his Berberidex, together with Berberis, Nan- 
dina, Leontice, Caulophyllum, etc. Baillon included Diphylleia 
under the order Podophyllee. Lindley considered Podophyllum 
and Jeffersonia as representing a suborder, Podophyllee, of the 
Ranunculacee. But the majority of the other authors seemed 
to have no difficulty in considering these genera as representing 
only one order, the Berberidee. Even Asa Gray, who had bet- 
ter opportunities to examine the North American genera than 
anyone else, classified them all in the one order. 
It is true, however, that the floral structure of some of these 
genera shows certain analogies, as demonstrated by Bentham 
and Hooker, and more especially by Eichler in his comprehen- 
sive work, Bliithendiagramme ; but there are, nevertheless, other 
points to be taken into consideration, as for instance, the struc- 
_ ture of the vegetative organs, if not the very habit itself, which 
is exceedingly variable in these genera.. In regard to Podo- 
phyllum peltatum very little has been published concerning its 
vegetative propagation, and nothing of its germination. These 
two phases of plant life seem to be very closely connected in 
the perennial herbs, inasmuch as the study of their seedlings has 
shown us that these, in many instances, give us a figure of the 
full-grown plant on a small scale. In this respect Podophyllum 
peltatum illustrates several points of interest, and we shall attempt 
in the present article to show the various stages of development 
which we have observed in this plant from seedling to flowering 
specimen, besides a few abnormal cases. 
The seeds of Podophyllum peltatum germinate in the early 
? For references consult the bibliography appended to this article. 
a a a al OS ot a ns 
