204 
the ovule as a mark of distinction between Santalacese, Elaeagnacese, and Thy- 
melaceae ; and it further contributes to strengthen the opinion that the posi- 
tion of the ovule is unimportant in Urticaceae. 
Geography. Evergreen shrubs, natives of the Cape of Good Hope. 
Properties. A subviscid, sweetish, somewhat nauseous gum-resin, called 
SarcocoUa, is produced by Penaea mucronata (and others) . It was supposed 
by the Arabians to possess, as its name indicates, the power of agglutinating 
wounds. Ainslie, 1.380. It contains a pecuhar principle, named 
which has never been detected in any other vegetable matter, and which has 
the property of forming oxalic acid, being treated with nitric acid. DC. 
GENERA. 
Penaea, L. 
SarcocoUa, Kth. 
Geissoloma, Lindl. 
Group IV. Columnossiae. 
Essential Character. — Stamens usually monadelphous, and the oyarj/ 3- 6-celled; 
or at all events the latter character combined with an inferior ovary. Wood, if any, desti- 
tute of concentric zones. 
Alliance I. NEPENTHALES. 
Essential Character. — Calyx inferior. Stem with a stratum of spiral vessels between 
the wood and bark. Flowers dioecious. 
Order CLIII. NEPENTHACEiE. The Pitcher-Plant Tribe. 
Aristolochia:, § Nepenthinae, Link Handb. 1. 369. (1829). 
Essentiai, Character. — Flowers dioecious. Calyx 4-leaved, inferior, oppositely im-^ 
bricated in aestivation. Stamens cohering in a solid column, bearing at the apex about 1 6 
anthers, collected in various directions in one head ; anthers 2-celled, opening longitudi- 
nally and externally. Ovary superior, 4-cornered, 4-celled, with an indefinite number of 
ascending ovules attached to the sides of the dissepiments ; stigma sessile, simple. Fruit 
capsular, 4-celled, 4-valved, with the seeds sticking to the sides of the dissepiments, which 
proceed from the middle of the valves. Seeds indefinite, very minute, fusiform, with a lax 
outer integument ; albumen oblong, much less than the seed, lying about the middle of the 
outer integument; embryo in the midst of fleshy albumen, with 2 cotyledons placed face to 
face ; {radicle turned towards the hilum. Ad. Brongn. Nees ab Esenbeck ; turned to the 
extremity opposite the hilum, Richard). — Herbaceous or half -shrubby caulescent plants. 
Leaves alternate, slightly sheathing at the base, with a dilated foliaceous petiole, pitcher- 
shaped at the end, which is articulated with a lid- like lamina. Stem without concentric 
zones, with an abundance of spiral vessels in both wood, pith and bark, and also with a 
dense layer of the same between the wood and the bark. Racemes terminal, dense, many- 
flowered. 
Affinities. The relation that is home by the highly curious plants which 
this order contains was not even guessed at until Adolphe Brongniart pointed 
out a resemblance between them and Cytinacese, which had not before been 
suspected, but which he considered so important as to justify him in placing 
it in the same order. While we admit the ingenuity with which this opinion 
