NAMED UAFFLESIA. 389 



On these resemblances, however, I am not disposed to 

 insist ; and I am even persuaded that there is here no real 

 affinity ; though I confess I have no other objections to 

 state to it than the valvular aestivation of the perianthium, 

 and the absence both of the corona and of the annular 

 elevations at the base of the column in Sterculiacece. 



To conclude this part of my subject, I am inclined to 

 think that Bafflesia, when its structure is completely known, 

 will be found to approach either to Asarinoi or Passiflorea ; 

 and that, from our present imperfect materials, notwith- 

 standing the very sUght affinity generally supposed to 

 exist between these two orders, it cannot be absolutely 

 determined to which of them it is most nearly allied. 



The only question that remains to be examined respecting 

 Bafjlesia is, whether the flower with its enveloping bractese 

 and reticulate base do not together form a complete plant 

 parasitic on the root from which it springs ? 



That such was probably the case, occurred to me on pm 

 first inspecting the flower bud ; the opinion being suggested 

 not only by the direct origin of the flower from the root, 

 but more particularly by the disposition, texture and colom" 

 of the bractese ; in which it so nearly resembles certain 

 plants known to be parasites,- as Cytinus, Cynomorium, 

 Caldasia of Mutis,^ Balanopliora, and SarcopUyte. 



In this opinion I was confirmed on seeing the figure of 

 the plant mentioned in Dr. Arnold's letter, as probably 

 related to the Great Flower, though not more than three 

 inches in diameter. 



The plant in question, which had been found in Java by 

 Dr. Horsfield several years before the discovery of Bafflesia 



1 In the Journal of Science, vol. iii. p. 137, from El Semanario del Nuevo 

 Eeyno de Granada, for 1810. To this genas belong Ci/nomorizim jamaicense, 

 and perhaps cayanense of Swartz, an unpublished species from Brazil, and some 

 other plants of equinoctial America. Before the appearance of Caldasia in the 

 Journal of Science, I was aware that these plants formed a genus very distinct 

 from Oi/nomormm (Journal of Science, iii, p. 129), but I had not given it a 

 name, which is still wanting, that of Caldasia having long been applied to a 

 very different and well known genus. 



The new name, however, may be left to M. B,ichard, who is about to publish, 

 and who will no doubt illustrate with his usual accuracy, the plants formerly 

 referred to Ch/nomorium, of one of the species of which {C. cayanense) he is him- 

 self the discoverer. 



