44 1 



ON THE BUXBAUMIA APHYLLA. 



apparent contact, I have not been able to trace the 

 connection on dissecting the bulb ; but from the 

 nature of the root, it is extremely probable that 

 the plant is perennial ; and what greatly contri- 

 butes to confirm me in this opinion is, that the 

 greater part of the tomentose or hairy appearance 

 of the bulb, seems to be produced by the remains 

 of old leaves ; not indeed such as Mr Stewart no- 

 ticed, but similar to some that I have recently dis- 

 covered, and shewn to that gentleman *. 



The leaves that I observed appeared to me to be 

 of two kinds. 



The first (PI. XXI. fig. 3.) is formed, as far as I 

 could ascertain, entirely of conferva-like filaments, 

 closely united from the basej to somewhat less than 

 half the length of the leaf ; they then separate from 

 each other ; are continued sometimes singly, and 

 sometimes collected into small bundles converging 



* Since this paper was written, the scientific world 

 has suffered a serious loss in the death (3d November 

 1820) of this very intelligent and indefatigable bota- 

 nist, who, from the natural energy of his mind, promised 

 to hold a conspicuous place in the pursuit not only of na- 

 tural history but of general literature. A few days pre- 

 vious to his death, he completed the laborious office he 

 had undertaken, of editing the Lectures of the late Dr 

 Brown j Professor of Moral Philosophy in the Univer- 

 sity of Edinburgh. He had also just finished the article 

 Musci in Dr Brewster's Encyclopcedia, but did not live to 

 complete the correction of the last sheet. 



3 



