176 FRUIT OF BURBIDGEA. 



capsule splits for its whole length along one side. The 

 placenta remains attached by both ends and from it are 

 suspended the very small light seeds attached by a funicle 

 lmm long. The seeds are 3mm long and lmm in diameter, 

 cylindric with a short sharp terminal mucro, they are brown 

 and smooth. From the base of each rises a thin papery white 

 aril irregularly cut into laciniae, some of which are nearly as 

 long as the seed. The seeds hang downwards from the placenta 

 waving with every puff of wind, and seem to be easily blown 

 to a distance. They are very light and float on water. The 

 aril is very thin and inconspicuous so that it is hardly, likely to 

 be attractive to any animal, and from the curious way in which 

 the seeds are suspended, their lightness and the ease with which 

 they are detached and blown away, there seems no doubt that 

 the whole fruit has been modified from that of an ordinary 

 animal-dispersal form, for dispersal by wind. 



There are two species of Burbidgea known, viz B. nit id a 

 and B. schizocheila. It is from a plant of the latter which 1 

 received from Mr. J. Hewitt and cultivated in the Botanic 

 Gardens, Singapore, that I make these observations. I have 

 however also a wild spray of fruits sent by the same collector. 



H. N. Ridley. 



Malacca Harbour. 



With respect to the paper under the above title in Vol. 

 52, p. Ill, reprinted from the Singapore Free Press of 1881, 

 we have received a letter from Mr. D. F. A. Hervey, stating 

 that he was the author of the original article. 



Ed. 



