CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY. 
9 
fibres, are seen on the surface of the putamen, corresponding 
with the lines of junction of these gland-shaped masses. After 
the fruit has become dried, these glands cannot be detected, 
though the cancellated furrows always remain. Similar cancel- 
lated furrows, filled with fibres, are seen on the putamen in 
Coscinium and Anelasma, whence it may be inferred that, in the 
ripe state, their mesocarp is constituted as in Anomospermum, 
The seed, in all the Menispermaceous plants that have fallen 
under my observation, is covered by two thin membranaceous 
integuments, the inner one being of delicate texture ; the raphe 
is always found on the ventral face of the outer one, in the form 
of a thickened hne of a darker colour ; and here generally is 
seen a thin carinated duplicature of this integument, extending 
along the whole length of the placenta, and this duplicature 
enters into a corresponding furrow on the condyle, by which, at 
the period of maturity, the seed is found attached. 
Albumen is present in the genera of all the tribes, except in 
those of one, where it is altogether wanting. In the tribes 
Leptogonea and Platygqnece it is simple and homogeneous ; in 
Anamirta, among Heteroclinece, it is nearly so. In Anomosper- 
mum and in most of the Tiliacorea, where the embryo is terete, 
the thick circumambient albumen is cleft transversely, almost 
to the centre, by numerous fissures, into which the integument 
enters, thus producing a ruminated structure similar to that 
seen in the Anonaceee. In the Heterocliniece the albumen con- 
sists of two nearly distinct plates, that on the dorsal face being 
like a thin simple lamina, while that on the ventral side is much 
thicker and deeply cleft, as before mentioned, by a number of 
irregular fissures penetrating nearly its whole depth. In the 
Pachygoneee, where the albumen is wanting, the embryo occu- 
pies the entire space of the cell. 
The form of the embryo is various. In all the genera of the 
Leptogoneoi it is slender and terete, with the radicle equal in 
diameter to the cotyledons, and nearly of equal length, some- 
times a very little longer or a little shorter. In Anomospermum 
the embryo is also slender and terete ; but the cotyledons, which 
are coequal in diameter with the radicle, are ten times its 
length. In Tiliacora, where the embryo is of similar form, the 
cotyledons are only twice the length of the radicle. In all the 
Platygonece the radicle is always terete ; but the cotyledons are 
flattened, subfoliaceous, and at least double its breadth, often 
much broader. Throughout the preceding instances, the coty- 
ledons are adpressed and contiguous, as in ordinary cases, being 
accumbent in the Pachygonece, Anomospermece, and Hypserpece, but 
incumbent in the Tiliacore(B,Leptogoneci,md^Platygonea : these are 
important distinctions, that merit more attention than they have 
VOL. III. c 
