No. 421.] CERTAIN ANOMALOUS DICOTYLEDONS. 9 
cotyledon enwraps the plumule, which becomes largely devel- 
oped. In Aponogeton, one of the Alismales, the sheathing 
base of the single cotyledon develops a pair of stipule-like 
lobes, which remotely suggest the two large lobes described 
for Nelumbo. 
Whether the other Nymphzacez will show a monocotyled- 
onous embryo remains to be seen, and the removal of the 
family to the Alismales is, perhaps, premature. 
RANUNCULACE. 
A number of Ranunculacez resemble superficially the Alis- 
males, especially as regards the structure of the flowers. The 
genus Echinodorus, of the Alismacez, for instance, has flowers 
closely resembling those of Ranunculus. Other Ranunculacez 
—e.g., Actzea, Thalictrum— have the vascular bundles arranged 
much as in the typical monocotyledons instead of in the single 
ring characteristic of the typical dicotyledons. 
Ranunculus ficaria has but a single cotyledon, which it is 
usually supposed is the result of the abortion of one of two 
cotyledons; but this has not been demonstrated, and it is- 
barely possible it may prove to be truly monocotyledonous. 
Certain peculiarities in the embryos of other genera, which 
will be referred to later, point to the possibility of the embryo 
in these forms also having but a single cotyledon. 
One important difference, however, must be noted between 
the Ranunculacez and the Alismales or Nymphæaceæ. In 
the two latter groups the embryo in the ripe seed is large, 
with very little endosperm about it. In the Ranunculacez the 
embryo in the ripe seed is always minute and is surrounded by 
abundant endosperm. 
ANOMALOUS BERBERIDACE®. 
Under the Berberidacez are generally included several pecul- 
iar genera of somewhat doubtful affinities. Of these, Jeffer- 
sonia, Podophyllum, and Diphylleia are especially interesting, - 
as they are all small genera of peculiar distribution, being 
