308 NATURAL HISTORY MISCELLANY. 
draughtsman. The five cells of the ovary are represented as alter- 
nate with the sepals; but in Sarracenia, which he had seen living, 
the cells of the ovary are opposite the sepals. The artist who 
executed the drawing is the well known Mr. Isaac Sprague, who 
made all the illustrations for Dr. Gray’s Genera of the Plants of 
the United States, and in that work the cells of Sarracenia are 
correctly represented as opposite the sepals. M. De Candolle 
asks, “Has he committed an error in the plate of the Darlingto- 
nia? Considering his usual accuracy, I doubt it. On the other 
hand, it is difficult to believe in contrary symmetries in genera sọ 
closely allied. I have discovered a similar fact in the family of 
Campanulacez, and it has enabled me to establish several genera, 
which are, besides, indicated by their external appearance. The 
thing, then, is not without a parallel, though it is very rare, and 
should be well examined before being admitted. I would, there- 
fore, point out to American botanists, and particularly to M. 
Torrey, the great importance of verifying fig. 1 of Sprague’s 
plate.” 
In making the details of the original drawing, Mr. Sprague had 
at his disposal only a single flower of a dried specimen, and it was 
not until recently that I have been able to test, in a satisfactory 
manner, the accuracy of his analysis. It is known to most of our 
botanists, that after waiting many years to see the plant in a living 
state, we have, through the kindness of the brothers Messrs. Hen- 
ry, who reside near where it grows abundantly in California, and 
by the liberality and prompt action of Messrs. Wells, Fargo & 
Co.’s Express, received fresh, living specimens, several of which 
have flowered. I am now able to state that Mr. Sprague has 
shown ‘‘ his usual accuracy” in all the details of his drawing. The 
cells of the ovary are alternate with the sepals. Indeed, I have 
found scarcely anything to add or alter, now that we have the liv- 
ing plant for comparison. 
The theoretical structure of the flower of Darlingtonia, we think, 
accords with what is actually the case. The stamens are in a sin- 
gle series, and are mostly about fifteen in number. If we assume 
that they represent only five, each by collateral chorisis increased 
to three, they will form a verticil alternating with the petals, so 
that they will necessarily alternate with the carpels also. In Sar- 
racenia the stamens are in a double series, and probably, as in 
Darlingtonia, multiplied by chorisis; the two yerticils alternating 
