216 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
and in like manner five-celled, with two ovules, one of them 
often rudimentary, suspended from the central column below 
the apex of each cell by a very short funicle ; the primine has 
a wide tubular mouth in its summit, close to the funicle ; and the 
raphe is distinguishable, extending along the ventral side to the 
base. Although, in the Biittneriee, the ovules are generally nu- 
merous in each cell, they are reduced to two, placed collaterally, 
in Rulingia. In the ripe fruit of Diclidanthera, each suspended 
seed is oval and compressed : the external tunic, which becomes 
black in drying, is covered with a white retrorse pubescence : 
the intermediate tunic is somewhat coriaceous and of a red 
colour, polished, and free from the outer tunic in the fresh state, 
but becomes intimately agglutinated to it in drying ; it is marked 
by a distinct hilar scar at its summit when fresh, and by a cha- 
lazal areole at its base : the inner integument is white and 
membranaceous. The embryo is of the breadth, and |ths of 
the length of the fleshy albumen by which it is enveloped ; the 
cotyledons are large, nearly oi’bicular, slightly cordate at then- 
base, thin, foliaceous, veined, and of a greenish colour in the 
living state ; the radicle is short and terete, and nearly touches 
the summit. This embryo is described and figured by Von 
Martins as being very minute, in the summit of the albumen ; 
this is certainly an error, originating probably in the seeds 
examined by him being in an immature state. It should be 
observed that this structure resembles that of the seeds of Ru- 
lingia, Commersonia, Abroma, Guazuma, and of all the Lasio- 
petalece and Hermanniece. 
From these several points of structure, it is evident that 
Diclidanthera bears little relation towards the Ebenacece, Styra- 
cece, or Polygalaceoe, as suggested by botanists ; for though it 
has some features approaching the latter family, it is totally 
distinct from it in the great symmetry of all its parts and the 
structure of its stamens. The facts above described show its 
near affinity to Biittneriacece, among which family the genus 
Philippodendron presents many. points of close analogy to that 
under consideration : it exhibits in an equal degree perfect 
symmetry in its parts ; the monadelphous tube of the stamens 
is agglutinated to the corolla ; its sessile anthers, double in 
number to the petals, burst transversely into two valves ; a 
single ovule is suspended from the angle in the summit of each 
cell of the ovary ; it has a simple style and a clavate stigma. 
The pedicels of the flowers of Diclidanthera also have each three 
very deciduous bracts at their base, and are articulated upon as 
many glands, as frequently observed in Biittneriece ; and its ligu- 
liform petals exhibit the contorsive imbrication of their margins, 
whieh is so marked a feature in that family. We may further 
