160 
within a fleshy calyx in both orders ; for Calycanthacese can scarcely be con- 
sidered apetalous, as Monimiacese are, on account of the obvious petals of 
Chimonanthus. The imbricated sepals, in Calycanthus chocolate -coloured and 
becoming confounded with the petals, the fragrance of the flowers, and the 
plurality of ovaries, seem to indicate an afiinity with Wintercae, especially with 
Illicium ; but the decidedly perigynous stamens and fleshy calyx enclosing the 
ovaries in its tube, the highly developed embryo, and want of albumen, are 
great objections to such an approximation. Combretaceae agree in having an 
exalbuminous embryo with convolute cotyledons ; but with this their resem- 
blance ceases. Myrtaceae also agree in this same particular, in the case of 
Punica ; and their opposite leaves, without stipules, frequent fragrance, and 
perigynous stamens, strengthen the affinity indicated by the embryo. Rosa- 
ceae, to which Jussieu originally referred Calycanthus, agree in the perigynous 
insertion of their stamens, in the peculiar structure of their calyx, the tube of 
which in Rosa is entirely analogous to that of Calycanthaceae, in the superpo- 
sition of their ovules when two are present, and in the high developement 
of their exalbuminous embryo ; upon the whole, therefore, no order appears 
to have so much affinity with Calycanthaceae as Rosaceae ; and the sagacity 
of Jussieu, in originally referring Calycanthus to that order, is completely 
confirmed by the discovery recently made by Lowe, that the cotyledons of 
Chamaemeles, a genus of Rosaceae, ' are convolute. This, I think, fixes the 
station of Calycanthaceae in the neighbourhood of Rosaceae, from which the 
order is distinguished by its imbricated sepals, and its anthers, partly fertile 
and partly sterile, being turned outwards. This order is also characterised by 
the singular structure of the wood, a peculiarity originally remarked by Mirbel 
in one species, and which I have since ascertained to exist in all. In the 
stems of these plants there is the usual deposit of concentric circles of wood 
around the pith, and, in addition, four very imperfect centres of deposition on 
the outside next the bark ; a most singular structure, which may be called, 
without much inaccuracy, an instance of exogenous and endogenous growth 
combined in the same individual. A good figure of this interesting fact has 
been given by Mirbel in the Annales des Sciences Naturelles, vol. 14. p. 367. 
It must be also added that the woody tissue of this order exhibits disks ex- 
tremely like those of Coniferse. 
Geography. Natives of North America and Japan. 
Properties. The aromatic fragrance of the flowers is their only known 
quality. , 
GENERA. 
Calycanthus, L. Chimonanthus, Lindl. 
' Buttneria, Duham. Meratia, Nees. 
Beureria, Ehret, 
Basteria, Adans. 
Alliance II. SAXALES. 
Essential Character. — Carpels two, united at the base, diverging at the apex; many 
seeded. Embryo in the midst of albumen. 
The divarication of the carpels is so singular as to form a positive mark of 
distinction between this alliance and the last, from which it is further distin- 
guished by the albuminous seeds. Unless attention is paid to these circum- 
stances, either separately or combined, it may be confounded with the last al- 
liance. 
