380 



ON THE VALUE OF CHARACTERS. 



tuents are by no means remarkable for a tendency to suppression ; let 

 us take instances. 



POLYPETALiE. 



Typical character, freedom, as in Ranunculacece 

 Subtypical, „ adhesion, „ Umhelliferce 

 Aberrant, „ suppression, „ Euphorhiacece 

 Berberideoe — The affinities are obscure, in habit it certainly 

 agrees with Grossulariea, especially in the abbreviated ramifications. 

 The tripartite thorns representing a triveined leaf, point out another 

 resemblance, but it is remarkable that none of the ramulhie leaves 

 have a similar disposition of their veins. If the supposition of their 

 being modified leaves be correct, we may expect to find heterophyl- 

 lous Barberries. 



The dehiscence of the anthers IS curious, it ag rees with that of 

 Bucklandia in the great inequality of the valves, but disagrees in 

 the larger, remaining attached only at its apex, and not throughout its 

 whole length. From those of Laurineae, in the small valve not being 

 revolute ; or, in other words, they combine both the ordinary, and 

 valvular dehiscence. 



In the disposition of the petals, I think it approaches nearer to 

 MenispermecE than most others, especially in the ternary arrange- 

 ment, a point of great importance. This last order cannot be 

 separated as is done by Lindley, on account of Lardizabalese, which 

 have the seed altogether formed as in the Ranal alliance. These will 

 approach nearest to Berberideee, especially in their compound leaves. 



The ovarium is remakable for being almost equilateral, that ten- 

 dency to obliquity, so conspicuous in all really simple carpella, being 

 nearly overcome. 



The stigma is remarkable, it is discoid and slightly foveolate in 

 the centre, the foveola not entering the opening externally of the stig- 

 matic canal. The stigmatic surface is confined to the outer margin 

 of the disc, and perhaps, to that part which intervenes between 

 this and the expansion of the style into the stigma, the above 

 space is viscid and has the true stigmatic appearance. The upper 

 surface of the disc is covered over with a layer of whitish lax sub 

 papillose tissue, which is continued down the stigmatic canal. The 

 use of this is very obscure, for although the line of the anthers 

 corresponds to the margin of the disc, yet it is at once obvious thai 



