595 
Erythrococca and Micrococca . 
The chief objection to the exclusive employment of either the stigmatic 
or the stipular character is that both suggest a cleavage plane which inter¬ 
sects that indicated by the presence or absence of cartilaginous bud-scales, 
treated by Hooker as perhaps of generic, and by Mueller as certainly of 
sectional significance. 1 In their neglect of this character Bentham and Pax 
have only done what Mueller has done as regards both the stigmatic and 
the stipular ones. The action in both cases is quite legitimate; its explana¬ 
tion probably is a wish to avoid the simultaneous employment of characters 
which act at cross purposes. But the fact that they were not made use of by 
Mueller has not rendered the stigmatic and the stipular criteria less valuable ; 
the fact that Bentham and Pax have not employed them leaves unaffected the 
importance of the bud-character pointed out by Hooker. When we find 
that, useful and valuable as they are, the stipular and stigmatic criteria alike 
fail to effect the complete and satisfactory differentiation of Erythrococca 
from Claoxylon which is desired, it is permissible to examine more closely 
the result of the application of the character afforded by the presence or 
absence of cartilaginous bud-scales. 
When Hooker’s character is treated as the primary one, we find that 
those species which have perulate buds, and at the same time have stipular 
thorns ( Erythrococca as amplified by Pax), always agree with the non- 
perulate species ( Claoxylon proper) as regards stigmas, while one half of 
them agree as regards male flowers. Those species with perulate buds, 
which at the same time have entire stigmas (. Athroandra in the original 
Hookerian sense), always differ from the non-perulate species ( Claoxylon 
proper) as regards female flowers, and with one exception 2 differ also as 
regards male flowers. It is clear, when this line of inquiry is taken, that 
Athroandra , Hook, f., is entitled to generic recognition as apart from Clao¬ 
xylon. Nor in the case of Erythrococca , as amplified by Pax and as apart 
from Athroandra, is there room for serious doubt. It is permissible to 
argue that, where there is such substantial agreement as regards floral 
structure, no single character, even when so striking as that afforded by the 
presence of stipular thorns, can suffice to justify the recognition of a genus. 
But the argument is not really sound. The important character on which 
Pax has based his judgement does not stand alone; it is only ancillary to 
the still more important character of perulate buds. When this is realized 
all doubt as to the desirability of separating Erythrococca from Claoxylon 
disappears. 
1 According to the system of subdivision employed by Mueller in the case of Claoxylon , which 
is based conjointly on the presence or absence of bud-scales, and on the disposition of the receptacular 
glands in the male flower, the two sections Athroandra and Euclaoxylon agree as regards the latter, 
and are only distinguishable by the former character. 
2 C. membranaceum, Muell. arg., which, now that its male flowers are known, is found to have 
the filaments longer than the anthers, as is the case in Claoxylon proper and in all the species that 
have stipular thorns. In every other species which has entire stigmas the anthers are subsessile. 
