44 GENERAL REMARKS ON THE 



have been given. According to Lamarck^ it consists of 

 the enlarged ovarium itself, perforated by the seed soon 

 after impregnation ; while MirbeP considers it as formed 

 of the scales of the female amentum, immediately sur- 

 rounding the organ, named by him cupula; and considered 

 as containing the pistillum, but v^hioh most other authors 

 have regarded as the pistillum itself. My observations 

 diifer from both these accounts, for on examining the 

 female fructification of Taxiis before impregnation I find 

 the rudiments of the future berry, consisting at that period 

 of a narrow fleshy ring, surrounding the base only of the 

 cupula of Mirbel, and very similar to the annular hypo- 

 gynous nectai'ium of many flowers. If this cupula, there- 

 fore, were the pistillum itself, the berry of Taxus would 

 have an origin analogous to that of Balanites,^ as it has 

 been very lately described by Mirbel ; and, on the other 

 hand, if that author's view of the female fructification of 

 Taxus and Coniferse generally be adopted, it might then 

 to a certain degree be compared with the external cupula 

 of Dacrydium, which will be more particularly noticed 

 hereafter ; but from this it would still be very distinct both 

 in its texture and in its not enclosing in the early stage 

 the cupula ; on neither supposition, however, does its origin 

 agree with that of the berry of Exocarpus, which in some 

 respects more nearly resembles tlie fleshy receptacle of 

 Podocarpus. 



I have annexed Olax to Santalacese,* not, however, con- 

 sidering it as absolutely belonging to the same family, but 

 571] as agreeing with it in some important circumstances ; 

 especially in the internal structure of its ovarium, and that 

 of its pericarpium and seed ; but as in Olax there appears 

 to be a double floral envelope, as its antheriferous stamina 

 alternate with the segments of the inner envelope, and its 

 ovarium does not cohere with either, there are sufficient 

 grounds for regarding it, with Mirbel, as a distinct family. 



1 'Encydop. holan. 3, p. 228. ^ j^g^^^, hdletin des scien.Z, p. 73. 



3 Selile in mem. sur VEgypte, 3, p. 326. Ximenia segyptiaoa, Linn. ^ 

 * Proir.fl. Nov. Holl. 357. 



