260 On the Separation of Pomegranate from Myrtacecs. f Oct, 



the seed, and their pulpy envelope, in further confirmation of the cor- 

 rectness of these views. 



In coming to this conclusion, I do so, mainly on the evidence I have 

 myself adduced : attaching no value to the opinion of Mr. Don, which, 

 being founded, according to his own showing, nn most erroneous view of 

 the structure of the fruit, does not merit much consideration. 



To the views of DeCandolle more importance must necessarily be 

 attached, as the reasons he assigns are more satisfactory, though I do 

 not think he has attached sufficient valae to the very peculiar " econo- 

 my of the fruit," while he has given too much to others of much less 

 note, such as the want of pellucid dots, the absence of the marginal 

 nerve of the leaves, and the pulpy covering of the seed ; thereby throw- 

 ing into the shade the true essential character of the order, which un- 

 questionably lies in the double row of carpels, with the upper placentas 

 parietal and crossing the lower axillary ones, which, if 1 have rightly ac- 

 counted for, constitute this a truly curious and unique fruit ; and which, 

 whether or not my theory of its construction be correct, is yet so very 

 different from that of every true Myrtacea, as to leave no doubt of 

 its forming the type of a distinct order. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE. 



1. — a. Section showing the lower series of carpels in the ovary of 

 the Pomegranate many days before the expansion of the flower. 



b. Section showing the upper series of carpels. These two figures 

 are taken from opposite sides of the same slicCo 



2. — a. Section showing the lower series of c^irpels in an ovary some 

 days after the expansion of the flower. At this time considerable 

 derangement has taken place apparently caused by the rapid expansion, 

 in a confined space, of the ovules afier impregnation. 



b. Upper series in the same ovary, and, as in the former instance, 

 taken from the opposite sides of the same slice. Here the derange- 

 ment so obvious in the Ic^^er se- ^^l-n "hag not taken place. 



