In proportion to its size, the walls of this endocarp are thin ; it has therefore 

 been crushed in and has burst round the edges. One half of the fruit has been lost, the 

 figure showing the inside of the other half, with small portions of the lost half. 

 Though badly damaged the basal boss is perfectly clear, as is the position of the apex. 

 In shape, size, and structure, especially the placental boss, this fruit agrees exactly with 

 Pyrularia edulis, a small tree of the Himalaya, and of Yunnan at about 4500 feet. The 

 only other known species of the genus is American, and its fruit is quite different. 



ARISTOLOCHIACEAE. 



ASARUM? 

 PI. VI, figs. 11 a, b. 



Seed ovate, dorsal side convex, ventral deeply concave with groove at base 

 (figs. 11 a, b, should probably be inverted); testa finely punctate rather shining. 



Length 3 mm., breadth 1.8 mm. Reuver. 



We have compared our specimen with the seed of A. caudatum (figs. 12 a, b), 

 and find that they agree in general structure and match closely in the character of the 

 testa. Unfortunately we have been unable to find seeds of the Chinese and Japanese 

 species for comparison. In the absence of such material, and having only one fossil 

 seed, we do not like to lay too much stress on what may be merely a superficial 

 resemblance. 



POLYGONACEAE. 



Fruits belonging to this family are exceedingly rare, and the genus Rumex is 

 entirely missing. Of Polygonum we have only seen 5 nuts, most of which are damaged. 



POLYGONUM Sp. 1. 

 PI. VI, fig. 13. 



Nuts large compressed rounded mucronate. 



Length about 3.5 mm., breadth 30 mm. Reuver. 



Two broken and decayed specimens, neither sufficiently well preserved for fuller 

 description. They are larger than the nuts of any flat or plano-convex form in our col* 

 lection, though at Kew we find nuts of P. persicaria equally large. 



POLYGONUM Sp. 2. 



PI. VI, fig. 14. 



Nut obovate, broadest slightly above the middle, then narrowing suddenly to 

 a small point, biconvex and equally tumid on either side. 



Length 2.5 mm., breadth 1.8 mm. Reuver. 



We cannot find any Polygonum to match this form. 



83 



