208 
REMARKS ON THE NATURAL ORDER COMBRETACE^. 
In noticing- this natural order we except the genus Combretumy having- in Vol. I. 
page 14, treated of it at some length. We proceed to make a few remarks on the 
remaining genera, in doing- which we shall also endeavour to point out the merits 
and other necessaries peculiar to each genus, in a manner that we trust the readers 
of the Magazine of Botany will at once see, without further reference, every 
particular connected with the subjects brought within the limits of this the 
Myrobaian tribe. The order Comhretacece is called the Myrobalan tribe. To 
attempt an improvement of the definitions of this order, further than that already 
given by Dr. Lindley in his excellent introduction to the natural arrangement, 
would be vain indeed ; we therefore borrow a copy of the essential characters as 
found in the above work, page 66, which may be read as follows. Calyx superior, 
with a four or five-lobed deciduous limb. Petals, arising from the orifice of the 
calyx alternate with the lobes, sometimes wanting. Stamens, arising from the 
same part, twice as many as the segments of the calyx, very rarely equal to them in 
number, or three times as many ; filaments distinct, subulate ; anthers, two-celled, 
bursting longitudinally. Ovarium one-celled, with from two to four ovules, 
hanging from the apex of the cavity; style one ; stigma simple. Fruit drupaceous, 
baccate, or nut-like, one-celled, by abortion, one-seeded, indehiscent, often winged. 
Seed pendulous, without albumen ; embryo with the radicle turned towards the 
hilum ; plumula inconspicuous ; cotyledons leafy ; usually convolute, occasionally 
plaited. Here ends the definitions as given by Dr. Lindley; and in this place it may 
not be amiss to notice the situation of this order in the natural arrangement, for the 
assistance of the reader ; and moreover, that we may not deviate from our promise 
made at the commencement, viz. to give a fair representation of it. The order 
Comhretacece, then, belongs to the first grand division or class of the vegetable world, 
called vasculares, from vas, a vessel, which in its general meaning may be understood 
to embrace all flowering plants, at the same time is meant all plants with spiral 
vessels. But, in order that we may arrive at a right understanding of this (at first 
sight) perplexing subject, i^ will be necessary to show that this grand division, or 
first class, is divided into two subclasses ; to the first of which, Exogence, in allusion 
to such plants the seeds of which have two cotyledons, better known by the com- 
pounded terms. Dicotyledonous plants, from dis, two, and Kotyledon, (two Coty- 
ledons), belongs the natural order CombretacecE. Here we are informed, without 
extending our inquiries, that the plants in the order under consideration produce 
flowers furnished with perfect sexes; from this it follows as a sure result that they 
will, if left to the rule of nature, mature seed. Each perfect seed when ripe, will be 
capable of separation into halves (similar to peas when dried and split for 
cookery). Each of these halves, in the language of the Botanist, is called a cotyledon ; 
so that we understand, in consequence of the seed thus naturally dividing, that the 
plant producing it must be dicotyledonous : and being dicotyledonous, a question 
arises whether the seed before separation from the plant was inclosed in a pericarp 
or whether it was destitute of such ; and finding it furnished with one, we ascertain 
