to Sciaphila of Blume. 465 



Moreae, but in a new group, distinguished from that order 

 by its being elactescent, and by its having a more perfect 

 development of inflorescence, viz. the regular calycine Perigo- 

 nium found in Urticaceae proper, whilst in the numerous 

 utriculi of its fruit, aggregated on a common receptacle, it 

 agrees with the Moreae. Hyalisma and Aphylleia being very 

 minute plants, there are one or two points which are not 

 mentioned in the description, but which having come under 

 my observation, it may be as well to mention. The seeds are 

 very minute and difficult of dissection, and the embryo is so 

 small, that it requires to be seen under a microscope, and it is 

 then hard to say whether the cotyledons are one or two. 

 The radicle is slightly curved and pointed towards the hilum. 

 The albumen, which is originally liquid, becomes hard as the 

 seed ripens, and usually causes the testa to burst on the 

 side opposite to the raphae. The bracteoles arise from near 

 the root, and are there either alternate or occasionally nearly 

 opposite. This construction seems to occur in both Hyalis- 

 ma and Aphylleia. In male flowers of Hyalisma I have seen 

 one anther burst, whilst the other three were unexpanded : 

 this is interesting, as proving that they are not two stamina 

 with the cells disjoined, as occurs in the American Triuraceae, 

 upon which Dr. Gardner has written an excellent paper, 

 entitled 6 Description of Peltophyllum/ and which in aspect 

 has some resemblance to the plants I am describing. Hyalis- 

 ma has a right to be called polygamous, as in poor specimens 

 the flowers are all male, but whenever the plant is properly 

 in season, it is usual to find it monoecious, with the female 

 flowers below and the male above, and it is generally when 

 the first scape has withered and the second is in flower, 

 that male flowers alone are produced. 



In Aphylleia the flowers are all hermaphrodite ; when first 

 blown, the stamina are conspicuous and the ovaries minute ; 

 the lateral style is at this period best seen. As soon as 



3 p 



