SuTCuli a b o u t tlu-ee-quartcrs o f an inch in len g th , imbric a ted one over a n o th e r, creeping,
flexuose, once o r twice irregula rly divided in to m any short, p a te n t branches, o f wliich
th e fe rtile ones a re somewhat incrassated upwai'cls, th e re s t a re filiform thro u g h o u t.
heaves (f. 6.) bifarious an d distichous, a lte rn a te , auricula ted, d is tantly placed in th e
lowe r p a rts o f tlie p lan t, th e re s t so closely imbricated as en tire ly to conceal th e up p e r
side o f th e surculus, th e cauline ones scarcely exceeding th e fifth o f a line in diam e te r,
those in th e fe rtile shoots becoming ra th e r la rg e r as th ey approach th e calyx:
they ai-e o f a n o rbicula r figiue , above slightly convex, va ry in g in color from a deep
p urple h ue to a n olive-green in more sheltered s itua tions, en tire ly devoid o f gloss,
furnished a t th e ir base w ith a n auricle (f. 4 ), which generally inclines more to a
gre enish h u e , a n d is in its appearance widely u n lik e th e leaf, in different p a rts o f
th e p la n t p u ttin g on a different appearance (f. S). I n th e baiTen branches tlds
auricle is a b o u t one -fo u rth o f th e size o f th e leaf, a tta ch ed to its lower m a rg in , an d
closely appressed to its in n e r suvkce, nearly spherical, w ith a n opening beneath,
whence Micheli has aptly applied to i t th e te rm “ cu cu lla tu s" . I n th e fruc tifying
branches th e same fo ra ia tio n o f th e auricle is ap p a ren t in th e lower p a rts , b u t in
proportion as i t approaches th e extrem ity , th e hollow vesicle gradua lly unfolds: in
th e fo u rth p a ir from th e calyx th e opening appeai-s wide r ; in th e n e x t above th em
th e m a rg in s only a re remarkably revolute ; in th e succeeding p a ir th e maj-gins are
so fa r unfolded as to exhibit a la te ra l to o th , while th e u p p e rm o s t p a ir, or
Pericheetial leaves (f. 7 ) have th e awricfe a n oblong, obtuse, leaf-like appendage, the
ma rg in s still a little revolute, a n d th e exte rior furnished w ith one o r sometimes
two long and sh a rp te e th ; this auricle is appressed w ith its in n e r a n d convex surface
to th e u n d e r side o f th e calyx, while th e leaf, which is he re more in c lin in g ,to ovate
th a n in any o th e r p a r t o f th e p lan t, has its lower surface applied to th e u p p e r side
o f th e calyx. T h e texture o f the se leaves is exactly s imila r to th a t o f th e r e s t, composed
of exceedingly m in u te roundish cellules, scarcely visible b u t w ith a hig h power
o f th e microscope.
Perigonial leaves, from tw en ty to th ir ty o r m o re in n um b e r, very closely imbricated,
upo n sh o rt b r a n d ie s , ra th e r smaller th a n th e cauline ones, and rema rkably concave
o r ventricose : th e auricle is a b o u t o n e -th ird o f th e size o f th e leaf) ovate, concave,
each closely tiled over th e one above it.
Stipules (f. 5) somewhat wider th a n th e stem, o n e ,to each p a ir o f leaves, ovate, app ro ad iin g
to rou n d , q u ite plane, cleft a t th e extrem ity with r a th e r a deep an d a cu te notch :
these, likewise, a lte r th e ir figure as th ey approach th e calyx, be coming la rg e r and
divided in to th re e o r fo u r unequa l laciniæ, o f which in th e calycine s tip u le th e re are
five o r six (f. 8) . T iie ir texture resembles th a t o f th e leaves ; th e ir color, from being
less exposed to th e lig h t an d a ir, partake.s less o f th e p urple t in t, and generally is o f
a d irty green.
M.viË F r u c t if ic a t io n situ a ted in th e axillæ o f th e perigonial leaves, u pon th e sh o rt la te ra l ramuli.
These perigonial leaves a re rema rkably closely imbric a ted, so mucli so, th a t th e ramulus
seen from above has ve iy much th e appearance o f th a t o f J . concinnata, and tlie whole len g th
o f i t is marked with a deep line o r furrow. In each axilla a re two and sometimes tliree
anthers*, small, spherical, and when perfect o f an olive-green co lo r; a fte r th e discharse o t the
pollen, a ’re ticu la ted , diaphanous cutic le rem a im . open and laceiuted a t th e top. T h e /¡ am e n t
is about th e len g th o f th e a n th e r, while , pellucid, transversely striated. In Jan u a ry , 160S,
I fa th e re d specimens o f th is p la n t, u pon th e tmdcr sides o t th e stems an d branches o f which
were sc a tte red clusters o t m in u te spherical granule s (f. f. 9 . 10), w hitish, b u t mc lining to
flesh-colored, sessile, o r on extremely short footstalks. These, however, as I was unable to
perceive any th in g reseinbling th e usual re ticula ted s tru c tu re o f Iho anthe rs of th e genus,
I was (even before I became acqua inted w ith th e tru e male organs) ra th e r inclined to suspect
were some adventitious substance, in which opinion I am now more fully confirmed.
F emal e F e u c t if ic a t io n te rm in a l upo n th e branches.
Cahjx (f. f. 11. 12. 13-14- 15) tw o -th ird s o f a h n e long, obovate, approaching to obcordt-
form, plane on its up p e r surface (t. 1 1 ) ; from its u n d e r surface th e re is a projecting
ridge or angle (f. f. 12. 13). widest a t its base, which, to g e th e r w ith th e two angula r
sides o f th e calyx, form a trian g le in a transverse section. T h e whole is externally
be se t w ith numerous m in u te fleshy tu b e rc le s; th e mouth is exceedingly contracted, and
forms a small hollow aplculus, which divides in halves for th e emission o f th e capsule.
T h e color is usually a deep purplish brown above, below more o r less green.
Germed (f. 1 7 ). when a rrived a t its full size, o f a b e au tifu l g re en color, surmounted
by a lo n g and slender style (f. 18), dilated a t th e m o u th , streaked longitudinally with
reddish lines, and transversely w ith greyish ones. A t th e base o f th e ge rm en are
a tta ched a few barren pistilla , o f a greyish color, swollen a t th e base.
Calyptra (f. 16) ohlongo-obovatc, ra th e r fleshy, whitish, of a compact tex tu re , scarcely
ap p e a rin g reticula ted.
Peduncle white , su c cu len t, cellulose, ab o u t h a lf as long ag a in as th e calyx.
Capsule (f. 12) spherical, pale yellow brown, b u rs tin g in to four a cu te , ovate valves (f. 13).
Th e seeds b e in g discharged, th e naked extrem ity o f th e peduncle becomes lisiblc
w ith in th e capsule, an d forms a greyish, scmi-peUucid, orbicula r base (f. 19).
Seeds (f. 20) fulvous, spherical, m in u te ly tu b e rcu la ted , so as to have a spotted ap{.ear-
ance. T h e spiral filaments ( f . 1 2 ) consisting o f a simple helix, enclosed in an
extremely delicate, tr a n sp a re n t tu b e , bo th adhe ring by th e ir base to th e apices
o f th e valves o f th e capsule, where th ey repre sent a be autiful tu f t o r c re st on
each (f. f. 13. 14. 19).
• Schmidel was not equally fortunate with myself; being unable to discover, or even to guess correctly at the
situation of, the anthers in this species. “ Flosculus ju n io r,” he says, “ calice etiam jam satis adulto, in ejus fundo
h a re t; quare fere videtur, ibi, ante quam etiam calix adolescat, fecundationem cclebrari, adeo u t apiculus calicis dem
propior forte sit acicul* flosculi, q u a stylus est. An vero alio mense antea organa masculina jam adfucrunt, primordia
feminei flosculi fecundantia ? An in apice ramorum, quamdiu adhuc cutvantur, fecundatio jam fit et folia cochleata
genituram subministrant ? Siquidem ea interdum quasi farinosa vidi per siccltatem.” Schmidel, leones, p. 258.