if correct, would hardly be conclusive; for in Gentianece there is at least one genus having
quadrifid and another with quinquefid flowers, in which the carpels are not lateral, but anterior
and posterior, as I believe .them to be in Orobanchece; nor has it ever been supposed that
in Gentianece the disk or axis is ovuliferous.”
Between two such eminent philosophers I will not venture to hold the scales, but may
perhaps be allowed to express my own impressions which are in favour of the latter view, a conclusion
at which I had arrived before I clearly understood the drift of the arguments of either,
on the faith of the appearances which I have endeavoured to get accurately delineated in the
accompanying analyses, which I think are opposed to Lindley’s views. But I must equally admit
that one difficulty, and not a light one, stands in the way of its adoption ; I allude to the fact
of the placentae being opposite or rather continuous in many, if not all Orobanchs, with the lobes
of the stigma, whether these are anterior and posterior, or lateral. This statement I make
principally on the faith of Reuter’s generic characters, as I have not at present the means
of verifying it, except in one or two instances.
Assuming this to be the case, is it susceptible of explanation in such a way as to preserve
the analogy, so general throughout the vegetable kingdom, that the carpillary margins are the
seats of the placentae, and that the placentae of a simple ovarium are necessarily double as being
derived from the union of two carpillary margins whether in the axis or parietes of the cell.
I at once acknowledge my inability to adduce facts that carry full conviction to my
own mind, but PapaveracecB furnishes a case in point and by many Cruciferce is believed to
furnish another, where, it is presumed, the lobes of the stigma, which, as in Orobanchacece are continuous
with the placentae, are each made up of the union of a placentary vein from each of two
carpels or in other words of two half lobes. If this is the case in that family, why not
in Orobanchacece f I am aware that a very different explanation is given of the formation of the
capsule of Cruciferce, but still I doubt whether it is more satisfactory. And the venation of
the corolla of the whole family of Compositce may be adduced as furnishing an analogous example
of parts being supplied with vessels from 2 sources, each segment of the corolla having
two marginal veins but very rarely one in the axis. Assuming for an instant, that one of these
corollas became converted into a 4- or 5-carpelled capsule, we should still have marginal placentae,
but with the lines of ovules continuous, not alternate, with the stigmatic lobes. This view,
whether right or wrong, can claim in its favour the fact that many Orobanchs have the lobes of
the stigma emarginate, as if made up of two sets of vessels, and derived from two carpels. Here
I leave the question for the consideration of men more competent to the task and in possession of
better materials for its investigation than I happen to have at my command.
G e o g r a ph ic a l D i s t r ib u t io n . Europe, Africa, Asia and America, have all their species,
but so far as I have been able to discover, none have yet been detected in Australia. In India
they are not numerous but, it is my belief, when more carefully sought for and the species well distinguished,
they will be found much more numerous than is now supposed. I have most frequently
found them in alpine jungle, in localities exposed to the influence of the south-west monsoon
rains, during which a very humid atmosphere prevails. The plant selected to illustrate the
order is extensively distributed in Southern India, in those districts where Tobacco is largely
cultivated, and is a most abundant and injurious weed. In Coimbatore it is in full perfection
in March and April, when the Tobacco crops are approaching maturity. I t is, I believe,
the only true Indian Orobanche, all the other species, referable to the order, belonging to
other genera.
P r o p e r t ie s a n d U se s . Astringency and bitterness are the predominating qualities of this
order. But little seems to be known regarding them or, perhaps, I should rather say, that their
properties are of so weak or indeterminate a kind, as not to merit much notice. Of those of
the Indian species, I can find no account beyond the remark, in Lindley’s Vegetable Kingdom,
that “Mginetia indica, prepared with sugar and nutmeg, is considered an antiscorbutic.
R em a r k s on G e n e r a a n d S p e c ie s . Under this head I must again have recourse to the
remarks on the order (in my leones), from which I have already quoted, which were written
for the purpose of explaining the principles, on which I was induced to construct some new
genera, and recast the arrangement of the rest, and which, if carried out, may lead to a better
understanding of this difficult family. Referring to that extract and the character of the order
for its leading characteristics, the following distribution into sections will be easily understood,
as well as the use of these in facilitating the limitation and discrimination of the genera by
easily recognised marks. Still further to place this arrangement in a clear light, I have devoted
a plate to its illustration, in which I have given more or less perfect analyses of 14 genera and
15 species. In the explanation of that plate, I have not deemed it necessary to do more than
give a list of the names of the species introduced, the parts represented being throughout so
obvious as not to require separate enumeration.
Before concluding these remarks I may as well mention in regard to the analysis, 0. Nico-
tiance (Plate No. 158), that all the coloured figures were taken from recent specimens. The
uncoloured highly magnified sections of the ovary and fruit from dried ones, but which had not
been pressed in drying so as to change the form of the parts. The whole plant having been
soaked to restore pliability, the flowers wanted for examination were then picked off. The condensation
of the spongy matter of the placentae by drying, show’s I think more clearly their mode
of formation, and seems to me to go far in support of my theory of occasional plurality of
carpels in this order, but on that point I leave the figures, the correctness of outline of which
I can attest, to speak for themselves.
“Availing myself of these variations of structure and
placentation of the ovary, I propose grouping the order,
so far as it is known to me, under the following sub?
orders or sections.
I. Orobanchee. Ovary of several (?) carpels, 1-cell-
ed: placentae parietal. Orobanche, Cistanche, Cono-
pholis, Anoplanthus.
II. jE ginetie.e . Ovary of 2 carpels, 1-celled: placentae
parietal, large, fleshy, lamellate or solid. JEgine-
tia, Oligopholis.
III. L a th r e e e . Ovary of 2 carpels, 1-celled; carpels
partially cohering in the parietes, the placentiferous
margins remaining free and spreading to the right and
left, forming two broad lamellar placentae. Phelipcea,
Lathraa, Epiphagus.
haps lead to its segregation as a distinct order. The
second and third of my sections respectively represent
in this group Bignoniacece and Gesnereacece. The fourth
approaches Scrophulariacece, from which it is kept distinct
by its imperfectly 2-celled ovaries and by the placentiferous
margins of each carpel remaining distinct, in
place of coalescing with its fellow into a single axile
placenta. Should further observation prove these sections,
which I find of easy application, well founded,
generic distinctions will henceforth be more readily
obtained; the uniformity of external characters, in the
absence of sub-division, causing a deficiency of good
distinctive marks by which to define the limits of genera.
The following synopsis of the genera known to me,
either from examination of specimens or good figures,
may serve to explain my meaning.
I. Orobanchee,
IV. H yobanchee. Ovary imperfectly 2-celled, that
is, the inflexed carpels only partially meet in the axis,
but the placentiferous margins, remaining free and being
reflexed, form 2 loose placentas in each cell. Hyobanche,
Campbellia, Christisonia, Harveya, ? Aulaya ?
The last two genera are doubtfully added to this
list, Mr. Bentham having already referred them to
Scrophulariacece, but as the habit and, apparently, the
seed are not in unison with the rest of that family
their admission into this list may lead to further, and
perhaps more accurate scrutiny so as to leave no future
doubt of their proper location. If really Orobanchs,
they, especially the last, form, through Striga, the transition
to Scrophulariacece; butjudging from Sir W. Hooker’s
analysis of the two genera, the former only, which has
two placentae in each cell, is truly referable to this order,
while Aulaya passes into the other.
The first section, constituting, I presume, the type
of the order, unless I have misunderstood its structure,
differs widely from the rest in having several carpels,
all the others having only two. I am aware that this
view is at variance with the received opinions of
Botanists, and therefore forbear to urge it beyond calling
attention to what, to me, appears to be the true
structure of the genera I have referred to it, and which,
.if confirmed by more extended examination, will per-
1. Orobanche. Calyx wanting or rudimentary, brac-
teoles dilated at the base, calyciform. Corolla tubular,
bilabiate, lips | lobed. Anthers glabrous, placentae 4-6,
parietal.
2. Cystanche. Calyx bracteolate, tubular, 5-cleft.
Corolla tubular sub-equally 5-lobed. Anthers woolly,
placentae 4, parietal.
3. Conopholis. Calyx bracteolate, sub-spathaceous.
Corolla ringent, upper lip large, vaulted, under short, 3-
lobed. Anthers pubescent. Placentae 4, parietal.
4. Anoplanthus. Calyx ebracteolate, 5-cleft. Corolla
tubular, arched or bent at the base, equally 5-
toothed, or sub-bilabiate. Anthers glabrous. Placentae
4, parietal.
II. JEginetiee.
5. ^Eginetia. Calyx and bracts wanting, their place
supplied by a loose spath. Corolla tubular, 5-lobed. Anther
cells divaricate, both fertile. Placentae lamellate.
6. Oligopholis. Calyx tubular, 5-toothed. Corolla
tubular, 5-lobed. Anthers 2-celled, one sterile, subulate.
Placentae 2, fleshy, not lamellate.
III. L a t h r e e e .
7. Lathrea. Calyx ebracteolate, 4-cleft. Corolla
ringent, upper lip entire, under smaller, 3-lob ed.