CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
101 
inferior radicle. In regard to the structure of the seed of Phyto- 
crene, our evidence is yet quite uncertain. Prof. Lindley (Veget. 
Kingd. p. 274) describes and figures an albumen of a very gra- 
nular, or rather ruminated texture, enclosing two large foliaceous 
cotyledons, with a very small inferior radicle 3 and Mr. Brown, in 
his generic character, greatly confirms this view, by stating it 
to possess an embryo with large foliaceous cotyledons, enclosed 
in albumen. Prof. Blurae, on tbe contrary (Mus. Bot. Lugd. 
Bat. p. 41. tab. 7), describes and figures the embryo as being 
quite exalbuminous, with large foliaceous crumpled cotyledons 
of a rugosely granular textm’e, possessing a short superior ra- 
dicle : he here acknowledges Phytocrene to be identical with his 
Gynocephala, the fruit of which he describes as consisting of an 
aggregation of several elongated drupes, upon a fleshy receptacle, 
forming a globe as big as a man’s head. It must at the same 
time be acknowledged, that the extremely villous habit of Phy- 
tocrene, the peculiar structure of its wmody stem, its closely ag- 
gregated flowers in globular heads, the membranaceous textm’e 
of its calyx and corolla, both clothed externally wdth very dense 
long hairs, and its peculiar stamens, present characters to which 
little resemblance can be traced in Sarcostiyma. I urge these 
reflections, however, with exti’eme hesitation, in deference to the 
conclusions of an authority, whose determinations all botanists 
will regard with the highest consideration. It is to be regretted, 
however, that Mr. Broum has not favoured us with his views, 
and the reasons on which they are based, in regard to the real 
affinities of the Phytocreneee ; but he says decidedly that Sarco- 
stigma, which in his opinion “ so obviously belongs to ” this 
group, bears no relation to Hernandiacece, to which family that 
genus had originally been referred by Drs. Wight and Arnott. 
We may, however, infer something more tangible on this point 
from his admission of “ its near relationship ” to Pyrenacantha, a 
genus with a single floral envelope, and other characters, that 
have led to its position near the Antidesmece. The genera Phy- 
tocrene, Nansiatum, and lodes form a very natural group, pos- 
sessed of con similar featui’es, offering constantly a regular calyx 
and corolla, divided into segments equal in number to the sta- 
mens, all alternating wfith each other in distinct series; they 
have therefore every claim to rank among the Dialypetalce of 
Endlicher ; but this disposition does not exist in Miquelia, a ge- 
nus carefully figured and described by Prof. Blume {loc. ante 
citat.), and placed by him and Mr. Brown among the Phyto- 
crenece : this genus, with a very different habit, offers only a 
single floral envelope, with stamens alternate mth its segments, 
and a 1 -celled ovarium with two suspended ovules, characters 
similar to those of Pyrenacantha, from which it differs in its ex- 
