380 ACCOUNT or A NEW GENUS OF PLANTS, 



may be stated to depend eitlier on a reduced or increased 

 development of the parts enumerated, on differences in the 

 manner of bursting, or on the confluence of two or more 

 antherae. 



Reduced development may consist merely in the approxi- 

 mation of the tliecas, consequent on the narrowing or entire 

 absence of the connecting portion of the filament, which is 

 one of the most common states of anthera ; in their partial 

 confluence, generally at the upper extremity ; their paral- 

 213] lelism either continuing, which is also not unfrequent ; 

 or accompanied by various degrees of divergence, as in 

 many genera of Labiatce ; in their complete confluence 

 while they remain parallel, as in Epacrldecs, Folygalece, 

 and in some genera of AccmiJiacecs ; and lastly, in the 

 imperfect production or entire suppression of one of the 

 thecEe, as in Westringia, Anisomeles, and Marantece. 



Increased development may in like manner be confined 

 to the dilatation, elongation, or division of the connecting 

 portion of the filament, of Avhich examples occur in many 

 Scitaminea, OrcMdea and AcantJiacece ; it may consist in 

 su] the elongation of the thecse either above or below the 

 connecting filament ; in an increased number of divisions of 

 each theca by longitudinal, transverse, or oblique processes 

 of the receptacle of the pollen, as in several genera of 

 OrcMdece and Laurina ; or in the persistence of part of the 

 cells in which the pollen is formed, as in JEgiceras. 



Reduced and increased development of different parts 

 may co-exist in the same organ, as in the bifid or incum- 

 bent anthera with contiguous thecae ; in the extraordinary 

 dilatation of the connecting portion of the filament, Avhile 

 one of the thecae is abortive or imperfect, as in the greater 

 number of Salvia ; or in the thecae being confluent, while 



whether in the simple oi' compound state, they become always inclosed, and, 

 before fecundation at least, are completely protected from the direct action of 

 light and of the atmosphere. 



In Coniferce and Cycadea, however, according to the view I am disposed to 

 take of them {Tnclcefs Congo, append. p. ^54:, ante, p. 138), this is not entirely the 

 case. But these two families will perliaps be found to differ from all other pliseno- 

 gamous plants in the more simple structure both of their ovaria and anthera. 



