BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 97 
At the present moment there is an active controversy in 
progress, especially among the German Botanists, as to the 
use of the Stamens and Germen. Professors Schleiden and 
Endlicher having broached the theory, that the stamens, in- 
stead of being the male organs, are similar to the ovarici, 
the style as the fallopian tubes, and germen the ovary of the 
vertebrated animals. They state that the male organs of the 
plant are to be searched for in the stigma. 
Having now referred to some of the most important works, 
which have appeared during the past year or two, I have a 
more melancholy duty to perform, namely, to refer to the 
great losses, which it has been our misfortune to have ex- 
perienced during the same period, and you may estimate the 
extent of our deprivation, when I inform you, that France 
alone has lost A. L. de Jussieu, Labillardier, and Desfon- 
taines, three men who have exerted the greatest influence on 
the progress of Botany in that country, and the world. They 
all lived to, and almost beyond the usual age of man ; yet, 
when I recollect the pleasure I have experienced, especially 
with the first, I can but feel as though I had lost a private 
friend. It would be useless were I to point out the labours 
of these illustrious men. Their works have had, more 
especially, the greatest effect on the science of Botany of 
any other individuals since the time of Linnaeus. 
ii 
