MONOCOTYLEDONES. 
51 
be erected into a separate order by the previous separation 
of anthers anterior and posterior, or considered as a sub- 
order distinguished by that feature. It is equally a matter 
for future consideration, to ascertain whether all Smilaceae 
have confluent veins, and, if it should appear that they have, 
whether it would be more consistent to separate them into 
an order distinct from the nearly allied Asparageae on that 
account, or merely to distinguish them as a suborder. I am 
indebted to Dr. Brown for a sight of specimens of Dioscorea 
lucida, of which the numerous cross veins are long and beau- 
tifully parallel, though here and there one may be observed 
bifid at the point, but preserving its direction to the longi- 
tudinal rib, and never running into another cross-vein or 
retroflex. It is true that the fruit of that plant has not been 
seen, and, although from its aspect it can scarcely be doubted 
that it is a Dioscorea, it may prove to be distinct from that 
genus, of which I have examined fifteen species with con- 
fluent veins. But if it were so distinguished, its close affi- 
nity to those plants would not the less shew the insufficiency 
of the feature to characterize an order. I find, also, the 
cross-veins of Rajania quinquefolia to be parallel, though in 
an oblique instead of a rectangular direction. I am on the 
whole of opinion that the venation of leaves is not suffi- 
ciently invariable to furnish a sure character. I believe that 
a sound feature may be found in Inflorescence axillary 
and Inflorescence not axillary, to detach Dioscoreae, Tamus, 
Smilaceae, Asparageae, and Roxburghiaceae, from Amarylli- 
deae and Liliaceae, before the subdivision into hypogynous 
and epigynous, thus — 
§§§§. Hexandrous. 
§§§§§. Inflorescence axillary. 
§§§§§§• Epigynous. 
Dioscoreae. — (With Tamus.) 
§§§§§§• Hypogynous. 
Asparageae. — Veins parallel ; fruit 3-celled. 
Smilaceae. — Veins reticulate? fruit 3-celled. 
Roxburghiaceae. — Fruit 1 -celled. 
§§§§§. Inflorescence not axillary. 
§§§§§§• Epigynous. 
Amaryllidaceae. 
§§§§§§• Hypogynous. 
Liliaceae. 
E 2 
