adverting to the late Mr. Griffith. 373 



cellular funiculus, the cells of which are much elongated and twisted. 

 Its length varies, when moderately pulled out, from three and a half 

 to five inches ; the whole length of the seed being about an inch. 

 This funicle, as well as the extremely similar one of Cycas, has the 

 property of contracting when immersed in water." 



LARDIZABALACEiE. 



303. Stauntonia has the placentation of Flacourtia, according to 

 Griffith. 



PODOSTEMACEiE. 



482 and 483. Bongard first represented their true structure, and 

 more recently Mr. Griffith has described two Indian species of 

 Podostemon, with his habitual accuracy ; entirely confirming the view 

 which I, upon mere theoritical reasoning, formerly took of their being 

 Exogens. And I am still of opinion, that if we have among Exogens 

 one type of structure more nearly approaching that of Acrogens than 

 another, it is this, which, with the habit of Liverworts and Scale- 

 mosses, has wholly the structure of flowering plants. According to 

 Bongard, the species have neither spiral vessels nor stomates ; the 

 latter would of course be absent, on account of the submerged habits 

 of the species of Mourera to which his observations chiefly apply. 

 And Mr. Griffith confirms his statements as regards his two Indian 

 Podostemons. 



cuscutace^:. 



634. These parasites are found in the temperate parts of both 

 hemispheres, twining round the branches of plants, sometimes pro- 

 ducing great destruction among crops. They do not appear to occur 

 much in the tropics, where their place is perhaps taken by Cassyths. 

 Mr. Griffith speaks of a gigantic species in Aifghanistan, which 

 even preys upon itself ; one of its masses half-covered a willow tree, 

 twenty or thirty feet high. 



RHIZOPHORACE^. 



726. DeCandolle points out its relation to Vochyads and Myro- 

 balans, and even to Melastomads, through the genus Olisbea. The 

 genera were comprehended in Loranths by Jussieu. Mr. Griffith 



