214 Mr. Babington on the Structure of Cuscuta eiiropsea. 



and Schultes in their specific character say, " fauce nuda," but add the obser- 

 vation, " Squamulas ad stamina bifurcas vidit Raymond." 



The strongly palmate form which is given to the scales in Reich. Icon. PL 

 V. f. 690, and the words " squamula crenata" used by Spenner, caused me to 

 examine numerous flowers before I could satisfy myself that their structure 

 was such as I have given in f. 1,, but I was unable to detect a single tooth 

 upon any of the specimens. I cannot explain the cause of their error. Reich- 

 enbach figures each scale exactly under its corresponding stamen, and yet 

 supposes them to be petals and to alternate with the stamens. He would 

 appear to consider, what I believe to be one single scale, as in reality two. It 

 may be as well to quote his words ; they are, " Clarior enlm redditur ilia 

 fabrica ubi intelligere placeat, stamina calyci adhserentia produci nee non 

 usque inter ipsorum petalorum insertionem decurrere." {Icon. PI. v. p. 62.). 

 This view is manifestly incorrect, for the scales constitute a complete internal 

 whorl, each of them being connected with its neighbour so as to form a short 

 tube, the upper edge of which is always free and distinct from the corolla 

 (calyx of Reich.), and the lower parts of the filaments of the stamens may be 

 traced under the cuticle of the corolla, desceziding exactly behind the centre 

 of each scale. It is perfectly clear, therefore, that the scales cannot represent 

 petals, since the whorl of stamens is invariably found within that of petals, but 

 in this plant the stamens are situated further from the axis of the flower than 

 the so-called corolla. 



I do not attempt to form any theory concerning these minute organs, but 

 hope that some fortunate botanist will soon discover them in such a state of 

 monstrous development as to show what is their real nature. 



That the number of scales is equal to that of the segments of the corolla is 

 proved by their structure in C. epithymum, in which plant they are not even 

 divided into two lobes. There is not, indeed, the slightest trace of a division 

 to be discovered with a very high power of the microscope. I ought to add, 

 that Reichenbach does not continue the above theory in his Flora excursoria ; 

 but reverts to the old nomenclature. 



1 shall not atten)pt a description of the scales in our two native species of 

 Cuscuta, since my figures will convey a far better idea of their structure than 

 can be given in words. Fig. 1. represents the corolla of C. europcea laid open. 



