116 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
and the calyx reduced (as in the Rutaceous genera Diplolaena 
and Asterolasia) to exiguity—yield 2-4 cotyledons in Loranthus 
and Nuytsia, a fact, as regards the latter genus, first noticed by 
Mr. James Drummond (in Hooker’s Journal II., 346). In these 
cases, as in that of Persoonia, the plurality of cotyledons is 
normal, not as in Phaseolus, Prunus, Quercus, and some other 
genera, merely abnormal (vzde Bot. Zeitung, 1869, p. 875 ; Sachs, 
Lehrbuch der Botanik, 4 Aufl. 608). 
In the species of Persoonia with more than two cotyledons, 
the segments of the embryo cannot be traced into two sets; 
contrarily as in many Coniferze, so also in  Persoonia, the 
cotyledons, as regards size and also shape, are quite or nearly 
alike to each other, and not rarely odd in number; whereas in 
merely lobed cotyledons, such as Schizopetalon, Howittia, 
Amsinckia, and many other genera, and even some species of 
Eucalyptus produce, the lobes are always traceable to two 
cotyledonar elements. Again, as in Coniferze so also in Persoonia, 
the number of embryo segments ranges only within specific 
definite limits. The fruits of various Persoonias exhibit in 
reference to size, shape, outward colour, thickness of the puta- 
men, and consistence of pulp, some peculiarities available in 
various instances for diagnosis. Several species ripen two seeds. 
A thin stratum of peripheric albumen is in some species more 
or less developed and separable from the endopleura. The 
hypogynous glands of P. diadena (F. von Mueller, “ Fragm., 
Phytogr., Austral. X., 46) are reduced to two; the putamen is 
grossly resinous-porous in P. rvevoluta. But on this occasion I 
intend to-deal with the embryo merely. This organ is obovate 
or ellipsoid, with always conical base, the radicle is exceedingly 
short, and the cotyledons, when more than two, show a width 
regulated by their number and space afforded them in the 
embryonic body. 
While addressing New Zealand naturalists in the first instance, 
I may remark, that the only species there—namely, Persoonia 
Toro—presents mostly 3, rarely 2 or 4, cotyledons, so far as 
I have ascertained from dissecting a considerable number of 
fruits, kindly procured for me by Mr. Cheeseman, of Auckland. 
As the fruit of this outlying species seems not described, I subjoin 
notes thereon. 
Persoonia Loro.—Drupe—7-g9 lines long; ellipsoid-ovate— 
very rarely globular, seemingly in age becoming blackish outside ; 
pulp (to be re-examined in a fresh state) not so remarkably tena- 
cious as in many other species ; putamen—thick, bony, bilocular, 
and not rarely maturing two seeds; embryo—2-3 lines long, 
about 1 line broad. 
The following are the results obtained for other species from 
more or less extensive dissections of embryos, so far as fruits 
were accessible to me, those of many species being entirely 
unknown, or were not available in full ripeness :— 
Cotyledons in Species of Persoonia—P. ferruginea, 2; P. con- 
fertiflora, 2; P. elliptica, 2; P. longifolia, 2; P. Toro, 3, rarely 2 
i ie a 
oo. eS ee 
