INTRODUCTION.

Reprinted from the “ Magazine of Natural History f New Series, Vol IV.,

by kind permission of the Editor, Mr. Edward Charlesworth.

Mb. Editob, nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;j have been so frequently applied to by

geologists, as to tbe best mode of procuring the fossils of the London clay from the Isle of Sheppey, that 1 am induced to send you a fewnbsp;hints as to the mode of collecting in that locality. Although onenbsp;of the most accessible, it is probably the least known of any of thenbsp;rich geological fields that are within a short distance of the metropolis. As a trip to this interesting spot can be accomplished bynbsp;an absence from London of only three days, and yet the collectornbsp;be amply laden with fossils on his return, 1 will endeavour to putnbsp;your readers in possession of the best mode of conducting such annbsp;excursion. The best conveyance is by the Southend and Sheernessnbsp;steam-packets, which leave London Bridge on Tuesdays, Thursdays,nbsp;and Saturdays, at 11 o’clock in the morning, and reach Sheernessnbsp;about 4 or 5 o’cloek in the afternoon. The town is divided intonbsp;two parts,—the one contained within the limits of the garrisonnbsp;being designated the Blue-town, while that beyond the fortifications to the north-east is designated the Mile-town ;—and it is tonbsp;this portion that I should recommend the visitor to proceed, andnbsp;to take up his quarters either at the Royal Hotel, or at the Wellington : the latter is an exceedingly snug and comfortable house,nbsp;and is the one which I have resorted to for many years. Afternbsp;having established yourself in your inn, request the Boots to desirenbsp;the attendance of Mr. Hays, (better known perhaps by the name ofnbsp;Paddy Hays), from whom you may purchase, at a very reasonablenbsp;rate, some good fossils, such as crabs, lobsters, heads and portionsnbsp;of fishes, and numerous species of fossil fruits. Our traveller willnbsp;then have accomplished all that can be done towards the acquisitionnbsp;of fossils until the following morning ; there not being, I believe,nbsp;any other collector in the town from whom purchases can be made.

On the following morning I should recommend an early breakfast, as a considerable extent of grouiid is to be traversed. It is advisable to go provided with five or six sheets of soft paper, tonbsp;wrap fragile specimens in, and a few cotton or linen bags, of aboutnbsp;four or five inches in diameter, to separate the large from the smallnbsp;fossils ; the whole to be carried in a good sized blue bag ornbsp;haversack, no chisel or hammer being necessary on this occasion.nbsp;If our geologist has a desire to view the great section of thenbsp;London clay, afforded by the cliffs of the north shore of Sheppey,nbsp;and is content with comparatively the few fossils which he may benbsp;able to procure by his owri exertions, he may proceed in thenbsp;following manner.—Leaving Sheerness by the new town, he willnbsp;pass along the sea wall, towards Minster, until he reaches Scaps-gate, where the cliffs begin to rise from the low lands of thenbsp;western end of Sheppey. A few cottages are scattered round thisnbsp;point, some of the inhabitants of which work upon the beach,nbsp;either collecting cement stone or pyrites, the latter being betternbsp;known by the name of copperas. To these, application should be

made to know if they have any “ curiosities,” and very frequently excellent specimens, and at a small price, will be thus procured.nbsp;From this point the route will then be beneath the cliffs upon thenbsp;shingle, amidst which, dark patches, ten or fifteen yards in length,nbsp;will be observed, composed of nodules of pyrites, intermixed withnbsp;pyritized fragments of branches of trees, in great abundance. It isnbsp;at such spots that the numerous and beautiful specimens of fossilnbsp;fruits are found ; but, to ensure success, the collector must benbsp;content to go ujjon his knees, and carefully search among thenbsp;fragments. The whole of the beach, from about the parallel ofnbsp;Minster Church, Warden Point, abound with these patches ofnbsp;pyrites, and I have by this means obtained in the course of anbsp;morning, upwards of one hundred fine fruits of various sizes.nbsp;Care must be taken in such an investigation of the coast that it benbsp;undertaken during the falling of the tide, or unpleasant consequences may arise from being shut in between the shoots of mudnbsp;which are projected into the sea at many points of the coast.

If the principal object be the.attainment of the greatest quantity of fossil organic remains, a difi'erent course should be pursued. Thenbsp;collector should then, after having made his purchases at Scaps-gate, direct his steps towards Minster church, passing which, henbsp;will proceed on the road towards Warden. About three quartersnbsp;of a mile beyond the church, he wiU find a lane on his left hand,nbsp;leaving towards the Eoyal Oak, in which lives a woman namednbsp;Mummery, and several others, who work upon the beach, and fromnbsp;whom fo Bils are frequently to be procured. These people willnbsp;direct the traveller to the cottage of a family named Crookford,nbsp;where there is usually a good assortment of fossils, and willnbsp;direct our fossil-hunter to many other parties who also work uponnbsp;the beach, and who reside between this point and Hensbrook, tonbsp;which our traveller must now direct his steps. At Hensbrooknbsp;enquiry should be made for a man named Pead, who has usuallynbsp;a considerable number of good specimens in his possession. Fromnbsp;this point, Hensbrook, the collector must proceed along the top ofnbsp;the cliff towards Warden, calling at the various cottages in hisnbsp;way, until he arrives at Warden Point, at which place he mustnbsp;enquire for Mud Eow, many of the inhabitants of which work uponnbsp;the beach, and from whom a considerable addition to the specimensnbsp;already collected may be purchased. Beyond this point, nothing willnbsp;be obtained, and the best way to return to Sheerness is by the roadnbsp;which runs through the most level portion of the country ; the pathnbsp;along the north cliff undulates considerably more than the road.

The course of proceeding thus sketched applies to the supposition that the time is limited to three days, but if a greater extent of time can be spared, I should recommend the tourist not to leavenbsp;Sheerness without viewing the dockyard; and the return tonbsp;London may be made by the way of Chatham and Gravesend,nbsp;affording the gratification of a view of the dock-yard and lines atnbsp;Chatham, and of the fine old cathedral and castle at Eochester ;nbsp;and, at the same time, enabling him to arrive in London on thenbsp;evening of the same day that he quits Sheerness.

NIPADITES.

(PI. 1 to 6).

Pandanocarpvm, Ad. Brongniart, Prodr. p. 135.

Drupes fibrous, angular, one-seeded.¹

The Fruits of which this group is composed, are found in considerable abundance on the beach at Sheppy, forming a portion of the organic remains impregnated with pyrites, so plentifully discovered there. They are known among the women andnbsp;childi’en, by whom they are usually collected, by the name ofnbsp;Figs. The epicai-p and endocarp are thin and membranous;nbsp;the sarcocarp is tliick and pulpy, composed of cellular tissue,nbsp;tln-ough which run numerous bundles of vessels. The cells arenbsp;about the eight hundredth part of an inch in diameter. Nearlynbsp;in the centre of the pericai'p is situated a single large seed (seenbsp;plate 1, figs. 8 and 10 a; plate 3, fig. 7 a; and plate 4, fig. 2nbsp;a). This, when broken, is usually found to be more or less hollow. It is frequently not more than half a line in thickness, asnbsp;in plate 1, fig. 10 a; but in the more perfect specimens, as innbsp;plate 1, fig. 8 a, which represents a longitudinal section of thenbsp;fruit, it generally presents the appearance of a close, granulatednbsp;structure, in wliich small apertures, containmg carbonaceousnbsp;matter, occasionally occur. These apertm'es possess much uni-fonnity, both in size and shape, and are of about the samenbsp;dimensions as the cells of the sarcocarp. This seed in one species—Nipadites Parldnsonis,—when in the most perfect statenbsp;of preservation, was found to consist of regular layers of cells,

1

Thunberg, in Ms ‘ Nova Genera Plantarum,’ p. 90, in describing tbe generic characters of Nipa, says, — “ Pericarp,—Drupae plurimae, aggregatae in capitulumnbsp;magnitudine capitis, angulata;, angulis insqualibus, acutis vel obtusis, infernè at-tenuata:, siipernè obtusatee, glabr®, magnitudine nucis Castanet.”

B

radiating from a spot situated near the middle of the seed, and apparently enclosing a central embryo.

Brongniait, in his ‘ Prodrome d’rnie Histoire des Végétaux Fossiles,’ mentions one of the fossils of this group, which appearsnbsp;to he Nipadites umbonatus. At page 135 he says, — “Thenbsp;third fruit of which I wish to speak here, is very common in thenbsp;Isle of Sheppy. It is pretty large, long, of a fonn more or lessnbsp;swelled in the middle ; has four, five, or six irregular surfaces,nbsp;which appeal' to have been produced by the compression of othernbsp;neighbouring fruits. Its base is large, and always appears torn;nbsp;no indication of the insertion of a calyx is visible on its sm’face.nbsp;The summit is conical. In general the form and the dimensionsnbsp;of this fossil vary very much; which may be equally ohsei'vednbsp;in fruits which grow close to each other in great numbers, asnbsp;those of Sparganium for example. This frait has the greatestnbsp;analogy with the fruits of Pandanus, and we scarcely doubt thatnbsp;they belong either to that genus, or to a plant very neai'ly alliednbsp;to it. Some broken specimens of these tfuits even show in theirnbsp;interior a single central nut, as may be ohseiwed in Sparganiumnbsp;and in Pandanus. Only, when several ovaries are not cementednbsp;together, this nut or seed appears much larger in proportion tonbsp;the pericarp than in the generality of the plants of that family.”¹

In consequence of the suggestions contained in this passage, I carefully examined longitudinal and transverse sections of the

1

“ Le troisiéme fruit dont je veux parler ici, est trés commun a Tile de Slieppey: il estassez gros, alongé, d’une forme plus oumoins renflée dans son milieu, a quatre,nbsp;cinque ou six faces irreguliéres, qui paroissent produites par la compression d’autresnbsp;fruits voisins; sa base est large, et paroit toujours déchirée: on ne voit sur la surface aucun indice d’insertion de calice; son sommet est conique. En général lanbsp;forme et les dimensions de ce fossile varient beaucoup, ce qu’on observe également dansnbsp;les fruits, qui croissent rapprochés en grand nombre, comme ceux des Sparganium,nbsp;par example. Ce fruit a la plus grande analogie avec les fruits des Pandanus, etnbsp;nous ne doutons presque pas qu’il n’appartienne a ce genre, ou a une plante trésnbsp;voisine. Quelques ecbantillons cassés montrent meme dans 1’intérieur de ces fruitsnbsp;un noyean central unique, comme on 1’observe dans les Sparganium et dans les Pandanus, lorsque plusieurs ovaires ne sont pas soudés ensemble; seulement ce noyeaunbsp;ou cette graine paroit plus grosse, proportionellement au pericarp, que dans la plupart des plantes de cette familie.”—Prodrome d’une Histoire des Végétaux Fossiles,nbsp;par M. Adolphe Brongniart. Paris; 1828. Page 135.

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fruits of a Pandanus, with a power of 120 linear; and tlie accordance in tlie form and arrangement of the cells, and in the disposal of the bundles of vessels, with the microscopic appearance of the structure of these fossils, was so exact as to convincenbsp;me fully that the views entertained hy M. Brongniart, as to thesenbsp;fruits being closely allied to Pandanus, were perfectly con-ect.

But although in the respects just mentioned they agree very nearly in structure with Pandanus, there are points in which theynbsp;difler materially. Thus, in the fossil Nipad. Parkinsonis, thenbsp;nut (plate 4, fig. 1, and fig. 2 a) is easily to be separated, andnbsp;at all times readily to be distinguished, fi'om the smrounding pe-140314); while in the recent truit compared with it, which I believenbsp;to be Pandanus Immilis, there was no nut or seed that could benbsp;thstinguished from the general mass of the pericarp. The recentnbsp;fruits of Pandanus examined were likewise each furnished withnbsp;two embryos; and the remaining unbroken specimens indicatednbsp;the possession of the same numher, by having then- apices formednbsp;of two distinct small umbones.

In the fruits of several other species of Pandanus in the collection of the British Museum, the number of embryos thusnbsp;cemented together into apparently one fruit, considerably exceeded this number, being in some cases as many as seven or eight;nbsp;and in one of these aggi-egate fruits of which a transverse sectionnbsp;had been made, I observed that the seeds had each been distinctnbsp;and readily separable from the pericaiT), as the cells in whichnbsp;they had been enclosed alone remained.

One very fine fruit of a species of Pandanus^ in the possession of my friend Mr. Ward, which is nearly fom’ inches in length and two inches and a half mean diameter, approaches very nearlynbsp;in external form to the fossil Nipadites Parkinsonis (plate 4),nbsp;excepting that instead of being terminated somewhat acutely, hkenbsp;the fossil alluded to, it is depressed at the apex, and has elevennbsp;umbones, which are nearly equidistant from each other. Uponnbsp;malting a transv'erse section of this fruit at about its middle, ele-v'en embryos were seen, arranged exactly in the manner indicatednbsp;by the umbones at the apex of the fruit, and passing nearly in

straight lines from that point towards its base. The cells containing the embryos were about the eighth of an inch in diameter.

Unlike some of the species of Pandanus, in winch the embryos appear to have been separate fi’om each other at an early stage of their gi-owth, hut to have run into a state of aggi'egationnbsp;at a subsequent period, in this fruit they appear to have alwaysnbsp;been united, as the mass by which they are smTounded is uniformly dense and bony to within about a quarter of an inch ofnbsp;its external surface, where it suddenly becomes loose and fibrousnbsp;in its texture, the whole being smTounded by a six-angled epi-carp. The spaces between the angles are uniform and even, andnbsp;in no part indicate, by the slightest depression or projection ofnbsp;any portion of their sm-faces, the existence of the numerous embryos within the pericai-p.

In the fossil species, on the contrary, I have not hitherto seen an instance of a fruit containing more than one seed, nor of anything approaching to, or in the remotest degree indicating, annbsp;aggi’egation of several embryos into a mass, such as we find occur so frequently in the recent Pandanus. Nor do we, amongnbsp;the whole of the fossil species, observe any of those appeai’ancesnbsp;of compression near the base of the fruit, which is so characteristic in all the well known species of recent Pandanus that Inbsp;have examined.

But of all the fruits that I have yet seen, there are none which approach so nearly to the fossil Nipadites as one of which mynbsp;friend Mr. Ward has lately received two specimens from Captainnbsp;Roberts, of the ship Indemnity, who met with them floating in thenbsp;sea off the island of Java, at the mouth of a small river. Thesenbsp;fiidts my fi’iend Mr. G. Loddiges recognized as the seed-vesselsnbsp;of Nipa fruticans. The largest of the two is fom’ inches and anbsp;half long, fom’ and a quarter wide, and two and a half inches innbsp;tldckness. The widest pai’t of the Iruit is at about one tim’d ofnbsp;its length from the apex, so that it has somewhat of a cordatenbsp;form. It has three very sti’ongly produced angles, two of whichnbsp;are situated at one edge of the fruit and one at the other, withnbsp;several smaller angles interspersed between them. In their dis-

position and general character, they very nearly resemble the con-esponding parts in several species of our fossil Nipadites, especially Nipad. umbonatus. The apex is furnished with a single prominent umbo, nearly four lines in height, very like thatnbsp;of the fruit figured in plate 1, fig. 7; and the vascular and cellular sti-uctm-es agree, both in form and arrangement, with thosenbsp;of the same fruit. The epicaip is thin and smooth, and fm-nishednbsp;near the apex of the li'uit with numerous punctse, strongly resembling, both in form and extent, those occmiing near the apexnbsp;of the fruit figured in plate 4, fig. 3.

Upon making a longitudinal section of this fruit, it was found to contain a single seed, situated nearly in the centre of thenbsp;pericarp, and very closely resembling, in structure, colour, andnbsp;appearance, that of the cocoa-nut, being furnished with a largenbsp;cavity in the middle of the albuminous mass, the interior smfacenbsp;of which presented every appearance of having been formerlynbsp;filled with fluid. The cell in which the seed is contained,nbsp;is formed of indurated cellular and vascular structoe, uponnbsp;which the thumb-nail could scarcely make an impression, butnbsp;it does not appear to be a distinct bony endocarpium, Iflcenbsp;that of Cocos. At the base of the fruit this indurated shellnbsp;or case was reflected inwards and upwards, towards the base ofnbsp;tlie seed, and gradually became nannwer as it approached it, sonbsp;as to form a funnel-shaped aperture, through which, in consequence of the partial germination of the seed, the plumule wasnbsp;projected for nearly two and a half inches in length.

The base of the pericarp has undergone a partial decomposition, so that numerous bundles of vessels project for about an inch beyond the remaining cellular tissue of its posterior portion.

My friend Mr. G. Loddiges has also frivo specimens of these fruits in his collection, which are somewhat smaller, but in everynbsp;other respect very closely resemble, in external appeai’ance, thosenbsp;in the cabinet of my friend Mr. Ward. Upon maldng a sectionnbsp;of the largest of these, it exhibited appearances similar to thosenbsp;described as occurring in Mr. Ward’s specimen; but germination having proceeded in the latter fruit to a greater extent than

B 3

in the fonner one, the nucleus had assumed the form of a light spongeous mass. The indm-ated interior sm'face of the pericai'pnbsp;was also, in a shght degree, harder than it was in the fruit firstnbsp;examined. Three other specimens, which came fi’om Ceylon,nbsp;are in the collection of the British Museum; their form, size,nbsp;and other external characters, agree with those of the fruits before described. They do not appear to have genninated; andnbsp;their bases, although they have sufiered in a slight degree fromnbsp;decomposition, are in a more perfect state of preservation thannbsp;those of any of the other specunens, presenting, instead of a regular point of attachment, that irregular- truncated appearance ofnbsp;this part, which seems to be common to all the species of ournbsp;fossil genus, as well as to the fruits of the recent genus Nipa.nbsp;Rumphius figures this plant (the Nipa) in the ‘Herbarium Am-hoinense, ’ vol. i. tab. 16 ; hut it is not so satisfactorily exhibitednbsp;as in a beautiful drawing by an Indian artist, which is hr thenbsp;possession of Mr. G. Loddiges, in which these fiarits are represented as growing together in a ter-minal globular head, verynbsp;similar to the mode assumed by the fruits of several species ofnbsp;Pandanus: hut from the absence of every indication of closenbsp;compression, as well as from the prominent angles and flowingnbsp;outlines of all the parts of the external surface of these fruits, Inbsp;am induced to believe that they are not by any means so denselynbsp;packed together as those of any of the species of Pandanus thatnbsp;I have yet seen.

But, on the other hand, in the predisposition to solution of the base, as well as in the structure and mode of arTangementnbsp;of its vascular and cellular tissues, this fruit closely resemblesnbsp;Pandanus, in many species of which this premature decomposition of the base of the pericarp is frequently to be observed.—nbsp;The general aspect of the plant is that of a palm; but as it isnbsp;not our object to discuss the relative degrees of alliance existingnbsp;between Nipa and the natural orders Palmets and Pandanem,nbsp;more than is necessary to establish the connections existing between our fossils and then- recent analogues, I shall beg to refernbsp;my reader for further information on this subject to Thunberg’s

‘ Nova Genera Plantarum,’ page 90, and to Rumphius’ ‘ Herbarium Amboinense,’ vol. i. page 72, tab. 16. In tbe latter work it is described as occurring “ rarely in Amboyna, but frequentlynbsp;in Ternate, and the other Molucca islands, and also in the Phil-lippines, where the rivers are larger. Also in Celebes, especiallynbsp;in the Gulph of Bogi, and in the district of Loeho. It is alsonbsp;found abundantly in Boero, in the Gulph of Kayely. That fromnbsp;the banks of the great rivers in Woabbo, amp;c., agrees so closelynbsp;with the sago, that it is used instead of it. It also occurs on thenbsp;shores of North Ceramse. It thrives in watery and marshynbsp;places, where the soil is black clay, and which ai'e frequentlynbsp;covered with water. Hence it is observed at the mouths of allnbsp;the great and rapid rivers, and also in such places as are overflowed hy the sea or hy brackish water; for this tree grows bestnbsp;in soil impregnated with salt. Thus it is found of the largestnbsp;size near the great rivers of Aracan, Pegu, and Malacca, andnbsp;throughout all the Golden Chersonesus. These fruits are oftennbsp;carried by the sea from Boero, and thrown on shore in distantnbsp;places, and thus are propagated where they find suitable soil.—-Hence these trees also gi-ow in the Gulph of Amboyna, also onnbsp;the shores of Hitae, near Larique and Mamalo. Its height,nbsp;however, is so trifling that it does rrot merit the rrame of a tree.” ¹nbsp;If the habits of the plants which produced our fossil fruitsnbsp;were similar to those of the recent Nipa thus described by Thun-

1

Nipa, ‘ Herbarium Amboinense,’ page 71.—“ Raro in Amboina occurrit base arbor frequentér vero in Ternata, uti et in aliis Molucese insulis et Phillipeis quo-que, ubi majora sunt flumina. Itèm in Celebe, prsesertim in Sinu Bogico et innbsp;Loebo regione. Multuin quoque invenitur in Boero in Sinu Kayely, ab utraquenbsp;fluminis majoris Woabbo ripa, amp;c., tali modo cum sagu convenit, ut pro ea habe-retur, in Boreali Ceramre ora quoque ocounit, aquosa et paludosa amat loca, ubinbsp;argilla est nigra, et qu¹ sspè aqua inundatur, uti ad oras omnium majorum et de-clivium flumimim observatur, uti et iis in locis, in quibus aqua marina seu salinanbsp;superfluit, hsc enim arbor in salso crescere amat solo, unde et optimè viget ad majora flumina, Aracanse, Pegu, Malacca, et in toto Chersoneso aureo, a Boero sspènbsp;etiam fructus trans mare adveliuntur, et appelluiit, sicque propagantur ubi sese se-dunt, aptumque inveniunt solum, ita ut bee quoque arbores intra Sinum crescuntnbsp;Amboinicum, item in ora Hitae, propè Larique et Mamalo, tarn alte autem hie nonnbsp;excrescit, ut arboris nomen mereatur.”

berg, and it is highly probable that such was the case, it will account for their amazing abundance in the London clay; whichnbsp;fomation, .from the numerous species of crahs, the fresh-waternbsp;turtles, and the great yariety of fossilized small stems andnbsp;branches, mixed up with Asteria, Mollusca, and Conchifera ofnbsp;numerous marine and fresh-water genera, is strikingly stampednbsp;as having been the delta of an immense river, which probablynbsp;flowed from near the Equator towards the spot where these interesting remains are now so abundantly deposited.

The resemblance existing between the whole of the species of Nipadites, both as regards their external form and their internal structure, with those of Nipa, is so close as to leave scarcelynbsp;a doubt of their being members of the same genus, the only difference being that the recent fruit has the interior surface of thenbsp;pericarp somewhat in a state of induration, which is not perceptible in that of any of the fossil species, although it may havenbsp;been so to a considerable extent in their original state, beforenbsp;fossilization, without our being able, at tliis period, to determinenbsp;such to have been the case, with any degree of certainty. Andnbsp;when we take into consideration the great variation in differentnbsp;species in the degree of thickness of the bony endocaip of thenbsp;nearly-allied genus Cocos, we can scarcely consider this singlenbsp;discrepancy sufficient to remove the fossil from the recent genus.nbsp;I have therefore thought it advisable to reject M. Adolphenbsp;Brongniart’s name of Pandanocarpum, and to apply that ofnbsp;Nipadites, as more expressive of their true relation to their recent analogues.

The same author (Brongniart) in his work ‘ Sur la classification et la disfribution des Végétaux Fossiles,’ in alluding to the specimens figured in Parkinson’s ‘Organic Remains,’ againnbsp;mentions one of the fraits of this group, which, in accordancenbsp;with the views entertained by that author, he refers to the genusnbsp;Cocos: but as we shall have occasion hereafter to return to thisnbsp;subject in describing Nipadites Parkinsonis, I shall not in thisnbsp;place point out in what respects these fossils differ from the fruitsnbsp;of that genus.

Nipadites UMBONATÜS.

(Plate 1).

Pericarp five-angled, compressed, and elongated. Apex umbonate. Epi-carp smooth. Seed, testa minutely corrugated.

This is an exceedingly abundant species, and by far the most variable in form and proportion of any wliich compose the group.nbsp;The specimens vary in length from half an inch to four or fournbsp;and a half inches. Their proportions are also very uncertain,nbsp;for while the breadth of some nearly equals their length, in othersnbsp;it does not exceed one third or one fourth of it. In like manner their relative thickness is equally uncertain; the specimennbsp;figured in plate 1, fig. 7, is not more than two lines in thicknessnbsp;near- the centre ; while the thickness of fig. 10 in the same partnbsp;is nearly ten lines.

The whole of the five angles of the pericarp are usually to be traced very readily and distinctly; but in some instances,nbsp;more particularly in young or immature specimens, they arenbsp;somewhat obscure. There is also no degree of certainty in theirnbsp;position in the fruit; for in some we find, at each edge, two ofnbsp;these angles very closely approximating to each other, wliile thenbsp;fifth is situated nearly in the centre of the back, thus leaving anbsp;disproportionately large space in the front of the fruit, whichnbsp;space is somewhat depressed, and without any appearance of annbsp;angle, as in plate 1, fig. 7. Sometimes, as in plate 1, fig. 9,nbsp;the margins a and h are each formed by a single angle, wlnlenbsp;another is situated in the centre of the front, and two at nearlynbsp;equal distances from each other and from the edges of the fruit,nbsp;occupy the back. Occasionally, but comparatively rarely, thenbsp;angles are nearly equidistant, as in the specimen figm-ed in platenbsp;1, fig. 6, which is more than usually elongated, but unfortunatelynbsp;has its surface much obscured by a frothy incrustation of ipyriles,nbsp;which renders it rather indistinct.

10

The compressed form in which this fruit is usually found does not appear to have been the result of mechanical pressm-e,nbsp;as in many cases the angle occupying nearly the centre of thenbsp;flattened surface (as in plate 1, fig. 9 c) projects very considerably, and terminates in a sharp edge. In a specimen in mynbsp;possession this is even more strikingly exemplified, for the anglenbsp;occupying the same relative position as the angle c (plate 1 fig.nbsp;9), projects nearly three fom’ths of an inch from the surface ofnbsp;the fruit, and terminates in an edge almost as fine as that of anbsp;knife; while another angle projects on the contrary side of thenbsp;fruit, hut winch does not rise to more than half the height of thenbsp;fii'st. It would therefore appear that this flattened state of thenbsp;fruit, is due rather to a natm-al predisposition towards this formnbsp;than to any accidental pressure; and we are the more confirmednbsp;in this opinion by not finding, in other species belonging to tliisnbsp;gi'oup, anything like the same degi’ee of compression.

These peculiarities in the form and position of the angles, would lead us to imagine that in this species the inflorescencenbsp;had been in the form of a diffuse panicle, rather than in that ofnbsp;a closely packed head, like those of Pandanus or Sparganium.

The appearance of the umbo at the apex of the fruit varies much in different specimens. In figs. 7 and 10, plate 1, it isnbsp;more produced than is usually the case; the most frequent formnbsp;is that which occurs in figs. 6, 9, and 11, while occasionally, asnbsp;in fig. 8, it is scarcely to be perceived.

The epicarp is hut rarely met with in these fossils; where present it is thin and smooth, presenting occasionally a faint impression of the bimdles of vessels which ran beneath it.

The cellular structure of the sarcocarp is usually found in the most perfect state of preservation, at near either the base or thenbsp;apex of the fruit. The vascular bundles which traverse it innbsp;gi-eat abundance are, however, very rarely so well preserved asnbsp;to be distinctly made out, although a considerable microscopicnbsp;power may be used for that pui’pose. In some, the spaces formerly occupied by the vessels are found filled with a transparentnbsp;resinous-looking matter j in others, they axe charged with a black

11

cai'bonaceous powder, probably the result of the decomposition of the vessels which they formerly contained.

The testa, when in a good state of preservation, is covered with a net-work of minute coiTugations, having very much thenbsp;appearance of being the impression of a fine, reticulated, endo-carpal tissue. The body of the seed is not often found perfectlynbsp;solid. It is somewhat oval, but variable in form, and frequentlynbsp;has a deep fun'ow down the centre of one of its broadest sides,nbsp;with a depression at the base and apex. Fig. 8 plate 1 represents a longitudinal section of a fine specimen of this description;nbsp;a, the seed, h, the pericarp with its numerous vascular fasciculi.

Many of these fiviits are found in such a state as to render it Ifighly probable that they were abortive. Thus in the small onenbsp;of which a longitudinal section is represented at fig. 5, plate 1,nbsp;not even the rudiment of a seed can be perceived.

It sometimes happens that the whole of the parts of these fruits have not been converted into pyrites. The seed is oftennbsp;found composed of this material, while the pericarp is completelynbsp;cai'bonaceous; or the entire fruit has become pyritical, exceptingnbsp;only the testa, which remains in the form of a fine film of carbon.

Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, plate 1, are young fruits exhibiting progressive stages of development.

It is probable that this species is the Pandanocarpum oh-longum of Brongniart; hut as the description which he gives of that fossil is not sufficient, without a figure, to distinguish it fromnbsp;some of the other species, I have thought it most advisable to reject the specific name oblongum, and to adopt that of umbonatus.

Nipadites ellipticus.

(Plate 2, figs. 1, 2, and 3).

Pericarp fovir- to six-angled, compressed, elliptical. Epicarp smooth. Seed, testa smooth.

This species is much more rare than the preceding one, neither is it so variable in form. I have met with only thh’teen

12

specimens; and these, although varying in size from nine lines to two inches and two lines in length, have very much the samenbsp;fonn. The epicarp is smooth, with faint lines indicating thenbsp;course of the bundles of vessels beneath, wliich, with the cellularnbsp;structm'e, much resemble the same tissues in Nipadites umbo-natus. Of the thirteen specimens in my possession, one only hasnbsp;six angles, tlu-ee have four angles, and the remainder have fivenbsp;angles. I have in one instance only been able to obtain a goodnbsp;view of the sm’face of the seed. In this it appeared to he without the minute corrugations described as existing in well-preserved specimens of Nipad. umhonatus ; hut, as in that speciesnbsp;they are not always to he seen, either from partial decompositionnbsp;of the surface, or other causes, so in this they may hereafter benbsp;found to exist in more perfect or better preserved specimens thannbsp;those wliich have liitherto come into my possession. In fig. 1nbsp;the apex is wanting, and in fig. 3 the base. Fig. 2 is one of thenbsp;most perfect I have hitherto seen, but has the apex rather morenbsp;acute than usual; in another about the same size which is in mynbsp;possession, the attachment at the base is rather smaller, the tliick-ness at the centre of the fruit somewhat greater, and the termination more obtuse even than in fig. 3.

Nipadites crassus.

( Plate 2, figs. 4 and 5 ).

Pericarp three- or four-angled, not compressed. Epicarp smooth.

Seed, testa minutely corrugated.

Tliis species differs from the preceding ones, not only in the number of its angles, but also in its intemal structure, the vascular fasciculi being considerably larger, but much less nmner-ously dispersed through the cellular stmcture. Amid thesenbsp;large bundles, wliich run in the direction of the axis of the fruit,nbsp;there are numerous smaller ones, interlacing them and spreadingnbsp;in every direction, as at h b, fig. 5, plate 2. Neither does this

13

fruit assume any appearance of compression. The average width of fig. 4 at the point a, is fifteen lines, and its thickness ten lines,nbsp;hut in several other specimens which I have become possessed ofnbsp;since 4 and 5 were figured, the proportions are much nearernbsp;equal. Fig. 5, from its appearance, might be imagined to henbsp;triangular but the fourth angle, very slightly produced, is situated on the under surface. Of nine other specimens in my possession, none have attained the size of the figured ones, thenbsp;smallest being only eight Imes in length; and of these nine, sixnbsp;assume a nearly regular quadrangular figure, but one has threenbsp;angles, presenting on a reduced scale much the appearance ofnbsp;fig. 5, and the remainder nearly resemble fig. 4 in form.

The seed which is seen at a a, fig. 5, through two holes in the pericarp, is slightly coiTugated; hut I have not met with anbsp;specimen in which I have been able to determine its form. Onenbsp;specimen, having every appearance of containing a seed, wlfichnbsp;I divided longitudinally, proved to he abortive.

Nipadites cordiformis.

( Plate 2, figs. 6—10 ).

Pericarp three- to six-angled, compressed, cordiform. Epicarp smooth.

Of this fruit I have thirty-nine specimens; oidy one of these has three angles, twelve have four angles, twenty-five have fivenbsp;angles, and one specimen only has six angles. Its thickness isnbsp;usually in the proportion of about half its greatest width, and itnbsp;is much less variable in its form than any of the preceding species. Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, are wholly composed oi pyrites ; fig.nbsp;10 has the sarcocarp of this material, but the epicarp is composednbsp;of carbon, which, from its contracting as it became dry, has givennbsp;it the appearance of having minute striae at right angles to thenbsp;axis, but which form no part of its character.

I have not as yet been fortunate enough to get a good view of the seed of this species. At a in fig. 9, a small portion of it

14

projects from its base; and in another specimen which I have in my possession there is, towards the base of the fruit, a regtdarnbsp;oval space, wliich has apparently heen occupied by it: but innbsp;nine other specimens, which had every external appearance ofnbsp;being prohfic, and which I fractm*ed for the purpose of examination, there was not even the slightest rudiment of a seed to benbsp;perceived, the whole of the substance being composed of vascular bundles dispersed amid the usual cellular tissue.

Nipadites pruniformis.

(Plate 2, figs. 11 and 12).

Pericarp ovate, not compressed; angles three or more.

Three other specimens of this fruit have come into my possession besides the two figured; of these one is smaller and very similar in fonn to fig. 12, but differs from it in having betweennbsp;the tliree larger angles, several elevated ridges in the directionnbsp;of the axis of the fruit: these may probably have arisen from thenbsp;fruit not having been fully developed. The other two resemblenbsp;fig. 11. The apex of fig. 12 is wanting, but it exhibits at thenbsp;base a small portion of the seed. The three other specimens,nbsp;when broken, proved entirely abortive, but exhibited throughoutnbsp;the whole of their substance, that an-angement of vascular andnbsp;cellular structm'e wliich is so characteristic in the fruits of thisnbsp;gi’oup.

Nipadites acutus.

(Plate 3, figs. 1, 2, and 3).

Pericarp four- or five-angled, largest near the base, and gradually tapering towards the apex, not compressed. Epicarp smooth.

Of eight specimens wliich I have of this species, hut one has five angles; the fifth angle in this case being only very slightly

15

produced. They ai-e all nearly alike in foiin, being largest near the base, and gradually tapering away towards the apex. Fig.nbsp;2 would at first sight appear to he an exception to this character,nbsp;but the apex in this instance has been partially depressed andnbsp;thrust on one side. Of the five other specimens in my possession, two are similar to fig. 1 ¦ one to fig. 2, hut more acutelynbsp;tenninated; and two agree in forai with fig. 3. I have not seennbsp;the seed of this fruit; two specimens which I fractured in searchnbsp;of it proved to he abortive, but presented the appearance of having the vascular bundles much finer than in some of the othernbsp;species.

Nipadites clavatus.

(Plate 3, figs. 4, 5, 6).

Pericarp four- or five-angled, not compressed, smallest at the base, thickest near the ajrex, which is umhonate. Epicarp smooth, slightly punctate near thenbsp;apex.

Figures 5 and 6 agree remarkably in all their characters.

4 has five angles, and the

greatest enlargement of the fruit is not so near its teiniination as in the other two; hut this latter difference may probably arisenbsp;from its not haring been so fully developed: and I am furthernbsp;confiimed in my belief that by placing it under the head of thisnbsp;species I have assigned it to its proper situation, from having received through the kindness of Mr. Jas. De Carle Sowerby, anbsp;fourth specimen found near Primrose Hill, in the excavation fornbsp;the tunnel of the Binningham rail-road, which closely resemblesnbsp;figs. 5 and 6 in aU its essential characters, but which has thenbsp;fifth angle very slightly produced. In figs. 5 and 6 the epi-caip has not been preserved 5 but in the specimen presented tonbsp;me by Mr. Sowerby, it remains in the state of a thin carbonaceous coat, enveloping the remainder of the fruit, which has beennbsp;converted into pyrites. Near the apex of the frnit there are smallnbsp;pimct® irregularly dispersed over its sm'face. I have not seen

16

the seed of this species. Patches of extraneous pyrites are represented at a in figs. 4, 5, and 6.

Nipadites lanceolatus.

(Plate 3, figs. 7 and 8).

Pericarp three- to five-angled, compressed, lanceolate. Epicarp smooth.

Seed, testa minutely corrugated.

The fruits figured ai’e the two most characteristic specimens out of six which have come into my possession; the remainingnbsp;fom* agree both in size and form with the figured ones. Fig. 7,nbsp;about the centre, is only five lines in thickness: one of the unfi-giued specimens is nine lines tliick; the other three ai-e nearlynbsp;the same as fig. 7: the gveatest tliickness of fig. 8 is six lines.nbsp;The epicarp is well preserved; on a poiiion of fig. 8 it is smooth,nbsp;like that of most of the preceding species. A considerable portion of the seed is displayed at a, fig. 7, in consequence of thenbsp;absence of a part of the pericarp. Two of the unfigm'ed specimens display the seed, and the remaining two have also everynbsp;appearance of being fruitful. With the aid of a lens of one inchnbsp;focus, the seed appears thickly covered with minute coiTugations.nbsp;It would therefore seem that this species is not so liable to benbsp;abortive as some of the preceding ones. Extraneous patches ofnbsp;pyrites, which partially obscure the true sm'face of the seed, arenbsp;represented at b h, fig. 7, and a a a, fig. 8.

Nipadites Parkinsonis.

(Plate 4).

Cocos Parkinsonis, Ad. Brongniart, Prodr. p. 121.

Pericarp five- or six-angled, not compressed, angles nearly equidistant.— Epicarp thick, minutely striated and punctate near the apex, smooth towards thenbsp;centre and base. Sarcocarp composed of longitudinal vascular bundles, thickly

17

interlaced at riglit angles with smaller ramifying vascular fasciculi. Seed somewhat pyriform, with a deejr indentation at the base. Testa minutely corrugated.

This beautiful species, which has been named after the late Mr. Parkinson, author of the ‘ Organic Remains of a Formernbsp;World,’ is figured by him in that work, vol. i. plate 7, figs. 1—5,nbsp;and described at page 457 of the same volume. He says,—nbsp;“ Figs. 1, 2, and 3 are representations of a specimen presentednbsp;to the British Museum by the late Sir Joseph Banks.” Figs. 4nbsp;and 5 in the same plate he states are “ from a specimen presentednbsp;to the British Museum by Mr. Douglass, by whom it is figm'ednbsp;and described in liis ingenious Essay on the Antiquity of thenbsp;Eailh.” He likewise observes, in speaking of the first specimen,nbsp;“ It is totally unlike anything at present known, but perhaps maynbsp;be referred to the genus Cocos.quot; A careful examination of thenbsp;internal structm-e of other fruits of this species does not warrantnbsp;our coming to the same conclusion; as, besides a total absence ofnbsp;the bony endocarpium of Cocos, there is not the slightest vestigenbsp;of tlie three indentations opposite the seat of the embryo, indicating the originally three-ceUed state of the ovary in that genus.

This is by no means an abundant fi'uit, although I have as many as sixteen specimens of it in my possession. Fig. 5 is thenbsp;form it usually assumes before it is quite ripe. There is no paidnbsp;of the pericarp of this specimen through wliich the seed can benbsp;seen; this is liliewise the case with three others that I have,nbsp;which very much resemble it in form and proportion. Wliennbsp;the fruit has arrived at matmity, it is considerably increased innbsp;bulk, as in fig. 2, and is less acutely tenninated, as in fig. 3.nbsp;One very perfect specimen which I have is more obtusely terminated than fig. 3, and its mean diameter is equal to its height.nbsp;When the fruit is quite ripe, the pericarp becomes very thin atnbsp;about one third of the height of the seed above its base, and finally the base of the seed is exposed bya gradual solution or pre-niature decomposition of the posterior portion of the pericarp, ornbsp;it is entirely liberated by an irregular transverse separation of thenbsp;peiicar-p at about that point. The evidence afforded by the spe-chnens of Nipadites Parkinsonis in my possession, does not

c

18

leave a reasonable doubt as to this mode having frequently been the one by which the seeds have been liberated from the pericaiq)nbsp;in this species: but whether this is the proper mode of dehiscence, thereby rendering it a modification of the pyxidium;—ornbsp;whether it may be considered an accidental mode, arising out ofnbsp;the tendency of the pericaiq) to dehisce by solution, and this operating upon its weakest portion,—is a question which requires anbsp;more extensive acquaintance with these interesting fossils beforenbsp;we can come to a decision upon the subject. Such has been thenbsp;case in fig. 2,—a being the seed, b the pericaiq), and c the linenbsp;of separation. Figures 3 and 4, which are two views of the anterior portion of a very fine pericarp that has shed its seed, likewise exhibit precisely the same mode of division, as the edges ofnbsp;the specimen present (as at a, fig. 4) a rounded blunt appearance, such as might be expected to take place by a gradual absorption of the part, and not a rough angular fractm’e, such asnbsp;violent or accidental causes would produce. Tlie whole of thenbsp;edge in this specimen preserves this character, except the pointnbsp;indicated by b, fig. 4, which is an accidental fracture of a part ofnbsp;its edge since it has been fossilized. Figme 6, which presentsnbsp;us with a view of the base and attachment of the pericarp, andnbsp;wliich, when reversed, has an appearance much like the cup ofnbsp;an acom, also exhibits the same roundness at its edge as thenbsp;last-described specimen. In others in my possession, a similarnbsp;appearance is also observable.

The epicaiq), in figs. 2 and 5, is not in a good state of preservation; but in fig. 3 it is in part well preserved, and is about half a line in thickness. Towards the apex of the fruit we findnbsp;it, in this and other similarly perfect specimens, marked with finenbsp;aciculated lines and punctse, as at the parallel of a, fig. 3, hut atnbsp;b on the same fruit, the lines have become almost obsolete, andnbsp;the puncte are entirely wanting. On the underside of the specimen fig. 2 near the base, there is a small portion of the epicaj-p,nbsp;and the same absence of lines and dots is observed as at b fig. 3.

The sarcocarp in this species is much more vascidar than in any of the preceding ones, and the longitudinal bundles are

19

larger in size. From the base to about the centre of the fruit they do not often divide, but as they approach towards the apex,nbsp;ramification becomes much more frequent. Amid these lai-genbsp;longitudinal bundles there are nmnerous smaller ones tliickly interspersed, running at right angles to the axis of the fruit, andnbsp;forming a close net-work of vascular tissue, the interstices beingnbsp;filled up with highly-compressed cellular structure, very muchnbsp;hke that so frequently found amid the fibres smTOunding the en-docarp of many recent palmaceous fruits.

The state in wliich the seed of this species is usually found, is singularly different from that of the other members of thenbsp;group that have been described. While in their case it is formednbsp;entirely of pyrites, in this, in eleven out of thirteen specimensnbsp;which I possess, it is composed of indurated earthy matter, excepting only the testa, which is, as usual, converted into pyrites.nbsp;Of the two wliich are entirely fonned of pyrites, one, when broken, afforded only very faint traces of organic structure ; but innbsp;the other, when viewed as an opaque object, by tlie aid of a Lie-herkuhn and a power of eighty linear, a series of vegetable cells,nbsp;regularly disposed in lines radiating from near the centre of thenbsp;seed towards the circumference, were distinctly to be seen. Thenbsp;centre of the seed, which was of a much looser texture, was occupied by indistinct laminae of pyrites fi'om the base to near thenbsp;apex of the seed. In another specimen, the interior of which isnbsp;earthy matter and the testa pyrites, we have the casts of the cellsnbsp;presented in a very perfect state, but instead of being disposednbsp;in radiating lines, as in the fonner instance, they are in this casenbsp;niixed up together, as if they had so far suffered from macerationnbsp;ns to have their natm-al arrangement totally destroyed: and thisnbsp;IS rendered still more probable from the circumstance of some ofnbsp;them being found attached to a part of the outside of the testa,nbsp;apparently occasioned by a portion of the detached cells havingnbsp;escaped fi-om their natural situation through a fractm-e of thatnbsp;paid, and become embedded in a narrow space which appears tonbsp;have existed between it and the pericarp.

The usual form of this seed is that represented at fig. 1 plate

20

4; a is the base and b the apex, which is not, in all cases, quite so much produced as in tliis instance. At the base, a, we observe a deep excavation, which, in a specimen that I have received since the plate was engraved, is occupied by a small andnbsp;somewhat conical mass of pyrites, having every appearance ofnbsp;being a portion of the proper receptacle of the fruit, which, passing through a large circular orifice that appears at its base, verynbsp;much like that represented at fig, 6, is projected into this basalnbsp;orifice of the seed. The state of the basal orifice of the pericarpnbsp;seems to indicate this to he the case, as the portion of it whichnbsp;remains has receded slightly from the base of the pyritical mass,nbsp;and is even, and gradually rounded olf, as if the process of solution of the tissues, which is so commonly observed to have takennbsp;place at the base of the pericarp of all the fruits of this family,nbsp;had just commenced. The testa is thin, and covered, as in thenbsp;other species, with minute corrugations.

In the specimen of Nipa fruticans before mentioned, presented to me by my tnend Mr. G. Loddiges, and of which a longitudinal section was made, germination had taken place to anbsp;considerable extent; the embryo was projected through the funnel-shaped basal orifice of the indxirated endocarp, and numerousnbsp;rootlets were thrown otf from the radicle, while the nucleus, innbsp;the form of a shrunken, distorted, spongeous mass, remainednbsp;within the testa, which, having become indurated, preseiwed itsnbsp;form and situation, although slightly separated from the endocarp.nbsp;Tliis state of the recent fruit after partial gemunation, may perhaps assist in explaining the reason of our so often finding thenbsp;cavity of the seed in Nipadites ParMnsonis filled with earthynbsp;matter; for it would naturally follow, supposing the germinationnbsp;of Nipa to have been completed under the circumstances described by Rumphius in his ‘ Herbarium Amboinense,’ vol. i. p,nbsp;72,* that the exhausted and hollow truit would he filled with thenbsp;mud amid which it is deposited. And as we find, in the recentnbsp;fruit, the testa retaining its foim and situation after the nucleus

* See description of Nipa fruticans, page 7 of this work.

within has been absorbed by the process of germination, it is na-tm’al that we should find the testa of the fossil species retaining its form and converted into pyrites, while the mass within is in-dm’ated clay.

The seeds of Sparyanium ramosum have a great resemblance in form to these fruits, but the structure and arrangement of thenbsp;vascular and cellular tissue in the fossil, indicates a closer relation to Pandanus than to Sparyanium: and it is highly probablenbsp;from the regularity of the angles and the flatness of the faces ofnbsp;tills fruit, that in its mode of inflorescence it approximated muchnbsp;nearer to Pandanus than any other species of this group.

Nipadites turgidus.

(Plate 5).

Pericarp three-angled. Epicarp striated. Seed turgid, testa smooth.

It is very probable that these characters may hereafter require considerable addition or modification, as the specimens figurednbsp;are the only ones I have seen.

Figmre 2, for which I am indebted to the kindness of the Rev. F. W. Hope, has a portion only of the pericai-p remaining,nbsp;and this is in so imperfect a state that I am unable to speak withnbsp;any degree of certainty as to its form. Two angles, situated atnbsp;G and b, are tolerably well developed, and a small portion of thenbsp;third remains at c: no farther indication of angularity is apparent in any other part of the fruit. At d, a small part of thenbsp;epicarp fortunately remains in so good a state of preservation asnbsp;to enable me to ascertain its character with tolerable certainty.nbsp;It is about one fourth of a line in thickness, and is covered withnbsp;distinct parallel stri®. The vascular fasciculi are not so large asnbsp;those belonging to the last species, neither are they so thicklynbsp;interlaced at right angles with smaller bundles of vessels.

The seeds in both specimens (figs 1 and 2) are ventricose, but somewhat compressed. The dimensions of fig. 1, from a to

c 3

22

h, is two inches ten lines, while in the contrary direction it is two inches and two lines only. In fig. 2 the proportions appear tonbsp;be nearly the same. In neither of them do we see the corrugation of the testa observable in so many of the other species.

Fig. 1 is covered, at c and d, with a regular layer of carbonate of lime, about half a line in thickness, as if an infiltration of that substance between the pericarp and the seed had taken placenbsp;during the process of fossilization, and while the latter was looselynbsp;enclosed within the former. In the nearly-alhed recent fruit —nbsp;Nipa fruticans — presented to Mr. Ward by Captain Roberts,nbsp;and wlfich we have described in the introductory observations tonbsp;this genus, there is a sunilar space intervening between the nutnbsp;and the pericarp.

Nipadites giganteus.

(Plate 6, fig. 1 ).

Pericarp four-angled, compressed. Epicarp striated. Seed, testa minutely

corrugated.

This species is much the largest of the group. The one figured is the most characteristic specimen, but the smallest, excepting one, that I have seen. The dimensions of the two lai’gestnbsp;in my possession are as follows. Length of the first seven inches,nbsp;greatest width four inches and three quarters, thickness about thenbsp;centre, seven lines: length of the second, six inches, greatestnbsp;width five inches and a half, thickness at about the centre fivenbsp;lines; but as in this specimen some of the posterior portion isnbsp;apparently wanting, it is probable that it was originally muchnbsp;longer. The smallest specimen that I have is three inches and anbsp;half long, two inches and three quarters wide, and five lines thick.

The situation of the angles of the pericarp is singular and very chai’acteristic; two being placed at each side of the fi’uit,nbsp;leaving wide depressed areas on its back and front. The twonbsp;angles at each edge gradually diverge as they proceed from the

23

apex, until they reach about the centre of the fruit, and then converge towards the base; so that in the specimen tig. 1 plate 6, at a the thickness of the fruit is one inch four lines, whüe in itsnbsp;centre it is only nine lines.

In consequence of nearly the whole of the pericarp being composed of carbonaceous matter, there is no portion of the epi-cai-p in a sufficiently good state of preservation to enable us tonbsp;determine its character; but in another specimen, it presentsnbsp;much the same appearance, only somewhat coarser, that the epi-carp of Nipadites turgidus exhibits at d, in fig. 2, plate 5. Thenbsp;sarcocai-p is thin, the vascular fasciculi small and less nmnerousnbsp;than usual, and no traces of the small interlacing bundles of vessels have been detected.

The seed in this species is very large in proportion, occupying neai’ly the whole central portion of the fruit. In one specimen in my possession, which presents the seed nearly detached fromnbsp;the pericai’p, it measm'es three inches and a half in width, andnbsp;about the same in length. The apex, which is partly obscurednbsp;by extraneous pyritical matter, appears to terminate abruptly.—nbsp;The testa is minutely corrugated, like that of the generality ofnbsp;the preceding species of this group.

The apex of the pericarp in one specimen is crowned with a strongly-produced mnbo; hut as in the one figiu’ed, and in othernbsp;instances, this does not appear, we can regard it only as an accidental variation. Part of the seed is seen at h, fig. 1, throughnbsp;a hole in the pericarp.

Nipadites semiteres.

(Plate 6, figs. 2, 3, 4).

Pericarp broad, short, and semicircular; three- or four-angled. Epicarp

faintly striated.

I have met with but three specimens of this fiaiit, but these coincide remarkably in all their essential characters. The largest

24

and best-developed specimen is represented at a and b, fig. 2, plate 6. It is sixteen lines in breadth, fourteen in length, andnbsp;eleven in thickness; nearly flat on one side, and swelling out onnbsp;the other into somewhat more than a semicircle. Fig. 2 a is anbsp;view of the gibbous side, and fig. 2 b of the flat side, of the fruit.nbsp;The angles in this specimen are three in number; these are ir-regulaiiy disposed, two of them being placed near one edge (dnbsp;and c, fig. 2), and one on the other at b: hut on the smallernbsp;specimen (fig. 3 plate 6) they are four in number, three of themnbsp;being situated exactly as in fig 2, and the fomth slightly developed in the centre of the gibbous side of the fruit, (a, fig. 3).

Fig. 4 presents a view of the gibbous side of a younger specimen, in wliich the angles are not so well developed as in the former ones, although in other respects the general character isnbsp;equally well preserved. In fig. 2 the epicai-p is wanting, whichnbsp;gives it the appearance of being striated in a much stronger manner than is natural to it. In figs. 3 and 4 it is well preserved,nbsp;and is nearly smooth, with only very faint longitudinal striae.—nbsp;I have not seen the seed of this species.

Nipadites pyramidalis.

(Plate 6, figs. 5 and 6).

Pericarp short, quadrangular, and pyramidal. Epicarp smooth.

Figures 5 and 6 represent the two most characteristic specimens of this species out of seven which I possess : fig. 5 is the largest of the seven, the smallest is only five lines in length.—nbsp;The whole of them coincide in their general proportions, and innbsp;having four angles, nearly equidistant from each other. At thenbsp;base of fig. 5 there is a large and deep indentation at a, whichnbsp;has probably been caused by the impression of the receptacle: anbsp;similar depression exists at the base of fig. 6, a, but it is not sonbsp;evident as in the former specimen, in consequence of a partialnbsp;contraction of tlie fleshy substance of the base of the pericarp.—

25

Fig. 6 has lost nearly the whole of the epicarp, but in fig. 5 it is in a tolerably good state of preservation, and presents, where itnbsp;is in the best state, no indications of striae.

I have not seen the seed of this species: two specimens which I fractm’ed in search of it proved to he abortive.

HIGHTE A.

(Plates 7, 8, and9).

Pericarp one-celled, valveless. Placenta central, usually five- rarely four-or six-angled, obconical and very large, with one or more seeds attached to each angle. Seeds and placenta enveloped in a mass of downy or filamentous structure, which fills up the whole of the remaining space within the pericarp. Seednbsp;about two or three times its own diameter in length, angular and somewhat curved. Testa reticulated.

I have named this genus in honour of an able botanist and an eai-ly and Inghly-esteemed friend, John Hight, Esq.

Figure 1 plate 8 represents a pericarp of Higlitea which has lost a gi'eat part of the epicarp, a. Fig. 2 is a view of the samenbsp;fruit, cleft longitudinally through its centre, exhibiting tire placenta and seeds in their proper situations: a, the placenta; h, anbsp;seed attached to one of its angles; c, the impression of anothernbsp;seed; d, the mass of filamentous structure filling up the remainder of the pericarp. Fig. 3 is a finrit deprived of its pericarp):nbsp;a a a, seeds embedded in the mass of filaments. Fig. 4, a placenta with the seeds attached to it, and totally fi-eed from thenbsp;filamentous structrrre: a a a, h h, five seeds attached to its angles. Fig. 5 is a placenta deprived of its seeds: a the depression where one of them has been attached. Fig. 6, the seedsnbsp;separated from the placenta: a a a a, are from the situation indicated by a in figs. 4 and 5; b, a shorter variety of seed whichnbsp;is situated above the others, at the top of the angles of the placenta, as at b b, fig. 4.

26

It is extremely difficult to determine whether these fruits have five valves, or whether they are valveless; as many of them, tonbsp;the unassisted eye, exhibit every appearance of having five ornbsp;more regular valves, as represented in figs. 15, 19, and 26, platenbsp;8 : yet after a careful examination of many dozen specimensnbsp;which afforded these appearances, with a power of eighty linear,nbsp;I have not seen any instance in which the sutures have been atnbsp;all separated, or indeed where they could be cleai'ly demonstratednbsp;as existing. In many instances there are five furrows at regular distances from each other, radiating from the apex of thenbsp;pericarp, having the appearance of being produced by the suturesnbsp;of as many valves, but these are frequently lost before they havenbsp;passed over one third of the length of the fruit, as at a, fig. 20.nbsp;In other cases they are continued on to the base of the fruit, butnbsp;generally becoming fainter as they recede from the apex. Innbsp;one frait, where the greater part of the epicarp and sarcocarpnbsp;were wanting, and but little besides the endocarpal membranenbsp;remained enveloping the contents of the pericarp, there appeared,nbsp;with a power of eighty linear, bundles of vessels occupying situations surdlar to those where we might expect to find the valves;nbsp;how far these may be connected with, or be the cause of, the furrows upon the surface of the pericarp, it is difficult to say. Atnbsp;first I was inclined to believe that these fun-ows were producednbsp;by the impressions of the nervures of a strong fibrous calyx, suchnbsp;as we find in some species of Campanula, or possibly similar tonbsp;that which envelopes the pericarp of Nigella; and I felt the morenbsp;inclined to attribute the furrows to one or the other of these causes,nbsp;from occasionally seeing minute ramifying sulci spreading overnbsp;the whole surface of the pericai-p, as represented in figs. 7 andnbsp;24, plate 8; and this view appears to be fiu'ther warranted bynbsp;our frequently finding a portion of the calyx remaining at thenbsp;base of the frait, as in figs. 10, 18, and 25, plate 8, the edges ofnbsp;which do not exhibit, in any instance that I have seen, the smoothnbsp;and rounded appearance which we should expect to find if it werenbsp;the proper margin of that part of the fructification. But, on thenbsp;contrary side of the question, I must however observe, that it ap-

27

pears highly improbable that I should not have met with any remains of such an extension of the calyx, amidst hundreds of specimens of these fruits that have passed through my hands, while in other cases the fine fibrous structure coating palmaceous andnbsp;other fruits, is found in so perfect and beautiful a state of preservation as it usually is.

The pericarp in these fruits is generally in a good state of preservation. It consists of tlfin epicarpal and endocarpal membranes, enclosing a cellular sarcocarp. Fig. 1 plate 7 representsnbsp;a portion of a pericarp, fractured at right angles to the axis ofnbsp;the fruit, as seen by a power of one hundred and twelve linear.nbsp;Near the centre of the mass of cellular structure, at a, there arenbsp;apparently a few very fine vascular fibres, but not m a sufficientlynbsp;good state of preservation to allow of their structure being ascertained by the application of a much higher power than that usednbsp;to exhibit the cells. The thickness of the pericarp varies in different specimens; in some instances it is extremely thin, whilenbsp;in others it attains a line in thickness.

The placenta is obconical, and singularly large in proportion to the other parts of the fruit. Figs. 9, 11, 16, ‘17, 21, and 28,nbsp;plate 8, represent sections of several species, in which the placenta is seen occupying the greater part of the interior of the pericarp. It is by no means constant in its size or form, even innbsp;the same species, as may be seen by figs. 16 and 17, plate 8,nbsp;which are sections of two specimens of Hightea attenuata.—nbsp;Figs. 37, 38, 39, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, and 47, plate 8, and fig.nbsp;2, plate 7, exhibit some of the very numerous varieties of formnbsp;into wliich the placenta nins; the whole of these have five angles, and it is in three cases only that I have found this number-exceeded:—these three specimens have each six angles. Fig.nbsp;41 plate 8 represents the base, and fig. 42 the apex, of one ofnbsp;these specimens. The placenta of the fruit represerrted in fig. 4nbsp;plate 9 is another of them. Since these six-angled ones werenbsp;figm-ed, I have examined nhrety-eight additional specimens ofnbsp;detached placentae, and among them I have found one with onlynbsp;four arrgles; but as the specimerr of Hightea iurgida represented

28

in figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, plate 9, is the only one among several of that species in my possession which has more than five angles, itnbsp;is apparent that tins deviation from the normal number can benbsp;considered only as an accidental variation.

In one instance (fig. 40 plate 8) two placentae were foimd united in such a manner as plainly to indicate that they had oncenbsp;formed a portion of a double fruit, the adherent faces of each being so much extended as to allow the five angles of each placentanbsp;to be clearly developed. The contracted basal portion of eachnbsp;was separated from the other, as at a a, fig. 40, plate 8 j and anbsp;seed, embedded in a portion of the filamentous structure, is attached at the point h.

The placenta very rarely affords a good view of the cellular tissue of which it is composed. Two specimens only out of a considerable number that were examined, gave a satisfactory viewnbsp;of it. Fig. 8 plate 7 represents a small portion of one that wasnbsp;fi’actm'ed longitudinally, and fig. 9 plate 7 a small part of onenbsp;that was cut and polished in a similar direction. In one that Inbsp;have fractured since these were engraved, I have seen the cellsnbsp;in a more perfect state of preservation, and presenting very muchnbsp;the appearance of those of the sarcocarp; —fig. 1 plate 7.

SmTOunding the seeds and placenta, and filling up the whole remaining space in the interior of the pericarp, we find a massnbsp;of closely-compressed downy fibres, which does not appear tonbsp;assume any certain direction, but to be disposed in in-egularnbsp;patches, the fibres forming each mass crossing others in everynbsp;dii-ection, as represented at fig. 4, plate 7, which is a portion ofnbsp;the filamentous stnictm’e that adhered to a spot about midwaynbsp;between the base and apex of the placenta of the fruit fromnbsp;winch it was taken, and was viewed with a power of one him-dred and twelve linear. With a higher power, (two hundrednbsp;and twenty-five linear), it assumes the appearance representednbsp;in fig. 5, a, h, c; the checquered appearance at a, b, and c,nbsp;being produced by the impress of bundles of fibres which havenbsp;crossed others in a diagonal direction. Very frequently the filaments present a flattened appearance, as at a, fig. 5, plate 7,

29

from their having been in a state of close compression, and this is more frequently the case in the neighbourhood of the sides ofnbsp;the placenta than elsewhere; but between the summit of thenbsp;placenta, and the apex of the pericarp, when broken at rightnbsp;angles to the line of their direction, the appearance is that of thenbsp;section of numerous round tubes, varying in diameter from thenbsp;five hundredth, to the one thousand three hundred and sixtiethnbsp;pai-t of an inch. In fig, 3, plate 7, (which is a magnified viervnbsp;of a portion of the summit of the placenta, fig. 2), they arenbsp;seen filHng up the deep furrows which converge from the anglesnbsp;towards the centre of the summit of the placenta, and at fig. 6,nbsp;a, plate 7, we perceive a portion of the downy mass closely embracing the fragment of a seed. In both these cases the fibrenbsp;has preserved its rotundity. When viewed vdth a high powernbsp;under favorable circumstances, the filaments occasionally exliibitnbsp;indications of being furnished at intervals with septa, and arenbsp;frequently found hollow, with minute crystals of pyrites liningnbsp;their surface.

The seeds are somewhat angular and curved, varying in length from about two to four and a half or five lines, and arenbsp;about a line or a line and a quarter in diameter. They are attached to the angles of the placenta, and are frequently partiallynbsp;embedded in its substance. Each angle has usually one seednbsp;situated about midway between the base and summit, (as at 6nbsp;and c, fig. 2, plate 8), and another above it which is muchnbsp;shorter, and reposes partly upon the summit, as represented atnbsp;h b, fig. 4^ plate 8. Sometimes two seeds side by side are foundnbsp;on one angle, as at a, fig. 36, plate 8, but this is but rarely metnbsp;gt;vith. The occurrence of two seeds to one angle appears also tonbsp;have taken place at a, fig. 27, plate 8, but this appearance is notnbsp;in reality to be attributed to the seeds, it is only the terminationnbsp;of one of the deep sulci which, in many cases, radiate from thenbsp;centre to the circumference of the summit of the placenta, andnbsp;cause the upper termination of the angles to present an emar-ginate appearance, as seen at a, figs. 43 and 44, plate 8. Thisnbsp;bifid termination of the angles appearing thi'ough the mass of

30

downy fibres similar to that at a, fig. 27, is likewise observable at h b, fig. 36, where these points are seen projecting betweennbsp;the upper and lower seeds.

The seeds are furnished with a reticulated testa, very much in appearance like that of the seeds of two closely-allied pericarps in the cabinet of my friend Mr. Ward, of Wellclose-square,nbsp;the names of which I have been unable to obtain, but whichnbsp;present strong evidence of belonging to the Malvaceae. Whennbsp;viewed with a microscopic power of eighty linear, the testa presents the appearance shown at fig. 6, plate 7, which representsnbsp;the fragments of a seed having a portion of the filamentousnbsp;structiue (a) adhering to it, and which had the testa preseiwed innbsp;a more than ordinary state of perfection. Fig. 7 is a part of thenbsp;same testa as seen under a power of two liundred and twenty-five linear; it has the impression of four of the downy fibresnbsp;remaining upon its surface. In one instance where I had brokennbsp;a pericarp at right angles to its axis, and had thus made transverse sections of the seeds, the testa appeared to consist of threenbsp;separate layers of nearly equal thickness, coinciding with thenbsp;description of the primine, secondine, and tercine, given by Dr.nbsp;Lindley in his ^ Introduction to Botany,’ page 183. In anothernbsp;case it assumed the appearance represented at fig. 10 plate 7,nbsp;which is a transverse section of the testa of the seed fig. 11 platenbsp;7; in this case it appears to be furnished with a series of flaskshaped glands or cells, but does not exhibit any indication ofnbsp;more than one coat. Excepting in this instance I have not beennbsp;able to obtain so clear and distinct a view of these curious organs;nbsp;in other tranverse sections the single layer of cells forming thenbsp;outer of the three coats of the testa, is distinctly visible, but thenbsp;two inner coats are rarely to be distinguished from each other.—nbsp;When the mass contained within the testa is pyrites, there is seldom any trace of orgaization to be observed; but when composednbsp;of carbonate of lime, which is sometimes the case, although verynbsp;rarely, the structure is then usually very distinctly to be seen.—nbsp;Fig. 11 plate 7 represents a transverse section at about the middle of a seed, under such circumstances, and it is seen to consist

31

of a cellular albumen ( a) with the embryo ( 6 ) enclosed witbin it. At c, figs. 11 and 12 (the latter being a portion of the samenbsp;seed more highly magnified), there is the appearance of the remains of a fine membranous substance surrounding the embryo, winch may probably be the quintine, the situation beingnbsp;the one in which we should expect to find this tissue in the recentnbsp;seed. The smaller circle d, fig. 11, is produced hy a shght condensation of the cellular tissue of that part. In another specimennbsp;similar to the one figured it was present, hut so faintly markednbsp;as scarcely to be perceived.

From the size and form of the pericarp, and the great abundance of downy structure, I was at first strongly inclined to believe that these fruits were nearly allied to Gossypium; but a closer examination convinced me that this could not be their proper situation, as all the finiits of Gossypium which I have yet seen havenbsp;a three-valved pericarp, seeds without the reticulated testa, and anbsp;small columnar placenta. The structure of the fibre of the truenbsp;cotton likewise differs materially from the downy or filamentousnbsp;structure of Hightea j the former being a flattened or tape-formednbsp;thread, which has the appearance of having made several revolutions upon its own axis during the period of its growth, wliilenbsp;the latter is a cylindrical fibre, presenting, under favorablenbsp;circumstances, the appearance of being furnished at intervalsnbsp;with joints, and hearing no appearance of having made any ofnbsp;those revolutions upon its own axis which are so characteristic innbsp;the structm-e of the true cotton fibre. It is difficult to say withnbsp;any degree of certainty, to which of the natoal orders thesenbsp;fruits should be referred, but probably their proper situationnbsp;will be found to be among the Malvacecs. Their seeds agreenbsp;with those of the recent pericai'ps before alluded to, in the foimnbsp;and arrangement of the reticulations of the testa, and in thenbsp;sti-ucture and abundance of the downy filamentous mass; butnbsp;they differ materially both in the fonn and position of the seeds,nbsp;and in the shape of the placenta.

32

Hightea elliptica.

(Plate 8, figs. 7, 8, and 9).

Pericarp elliptical; diameter about half its length.

This species is by no means of rare occurrence : I have in my possession thirteen well-characterized specimens. The onlynbsp;other species with which it is liable to be confounded is Highteanbsp;ovata, from which it may readily be distinguished, not only bynbsp;the greater degree of length in proportion to its breadth, but likewise by the greater length of its placenta, which, in this species,nbsp;usually attains to nearly three fom'ths the length of the pericai-p,nbsp;while in Hightea ovata it generally terminates at or near its centre.nbsp;Fig. 7 is one of the most perfect specimens that I have seen; itnbsp;is ten lines and a half in length by six in breadth, and has thenbsp;surface of the pericai-p covered with minute ramifying sulci. Fig.nbsp;8 represents a pericarp, about one third of which has been destroyed. It presents us with a good view of a portion of the placenta ; a is the summit of the placenta, b the posterior portionnbsp;of the pericarp. Fig. 9 is from a longitudinal section of a fruitnbsp;of this species which has lost nearly the whole of its pericaiy) :nbsp;a a the mass of do^vny filaments; b h h portions of seeds cutnbsp;through in making the section y c the placenta, partly hollownbsp;and lined with minute crystals of pyrites.

Hightea elegans.

(Plate 8, figs. 10 and 11).

Pericarp broad at the base, and gradually increasing in diameter for about two thirds of its length, and then terminating in an obtuse summit.

This is a very rai’e species; I have met with only one specimen besides the two figured, but this, although smaller, agi'ees remarkably well in form with fig. 10; it is somewhat shorter in

33

proportion, forming an intermediate link between it and fig. 11, Fig. 10 has five equidistant sulci, wliich pass from the base tonbsp;the apex of the fruit, where they terminate in as many slightnbsp;depressions, giving it a somewhat stellated appearance. Thenbsp;calyx in fig. 10 is m a good state of preservation. Fig. 11 isnbsp;from a longitudinal section through about the centre of a peri-caiq) of this species; a a are sections of two of the seeds.

The placenta in this specimen has a deep depression in the centi'e of its apex, and does not present any appearance of having had the angles much produced. This is also the case in fig.nbsp;10, from wliich a small portion of the pericarp was removed,nbsp;whereby I was enabled to view a part of one of its angles; butnbsp;as I have not seen a detached placenta of this species, I cannotnbsp;speak with any degree of certainty as to its form.

Hightea attenuata.

(Plate 8, figs. 12—17 ).

Pericarp broadest at about the middle, attenuated towards the apex.

This is rather an abundant species : I have in my possession twenty-five well-characterized specimens. It is much longer innbsp;proportion to its diameter than any of the others. Fig. 12 isnbsp;the largest, excepting one, that I have met with; fig. 13 isnbsp;nearer the average size. In tliis, and in fig. 15, we have thenbsp;appearance of a greater number of sulci radiating from the basenbsp;of the pericarp, than is usual in the fruits of this family. Onnbsp;the part of the fruit presented to view in fig. 13, there are fournbsp;sulci apparent on the remaining portion of the pericai-p, whichnbsp;are so indistinct as not to be traced with any degree of certainty;nbsp;but from the space which these four occupy, there is reason tonbsp;believe that they were as many as ten in number. In like manner, on fig. 15 we have three sulci distinctly marked, and thenbsp;remainder indistinct; and here again the space which these oc-

D

34

cupy would indicate ten to be the number we might expect to find on the perfect pericarp. The apex of fig. 15 presents usnbsp;with a singular foraminated appearance, as if the exti'eme pointnbsp;of the pericarp had been gradually absorbed, and an openingnbsp;had thus been made into it, by which means, it is probable, dehiscence finally took place.

In an unknown recent pericarp in the cabinet of my friend Mr. Ward, which appears to belong to the Malvaceae,nbsp;dehiscence seems to take place by a separation of the basenbsp;from the receptacle, in consequence of the expansion of thenbsp;downy fibres within •, and the pericarp separates longitudinallynbsp;into two or three irregular portions. It is not improbable that innbsp;like manner, possibly in consequence of the gradual weakening ofnbsp;the apex of the fossil pericarp, and the expansion of the downynbsp;fibres within, dehiscence might ultimately have taken place by annbsp;irregular longitudinal fracture, but in this case commencing atnbsp;the apex instead of the base.

In fig. 20 we have an indication of a foramen similar to that of fig. 15, but in the foimer the apex has not either fallen off ornbsp;been absorbed, as in the latter. In several other specimens Inbsp;have observed appearances similar to those exhibited in figs. 15nbsp;and 20. Fig. 13 has lost the calyx, and exhibits the size andnbsp;form of the base of tlie pericarp. Upon fig. 14, a, it is present,nbsp;and in a tolerably good state of preservation. Figs. 16 and 17nbsp;are sections of two finits of this species, in which the size andnbsp;proportions of the placenta difier materially: a a, fig, 16, portions of the seeds j h, the calyx: fig. 11, a a, portions of seeds jnbsp;h, the calyx.

Hightea fusiformis.

(Plate 8, figs. 18—21).

Greatest diameter of the pericarp at about one third of its length from the apex, from which place it gradually tapers downwards to the base.

35

This is not a very common species. I have met with only ten specimens; of these figs. 18 and 21 are the most characteristic. The fruit, of which fig. 18 is a representation, is in a verynbsp;fine state of preservation. The longitudinal sulci are not verynbsp;distinct, but there appear to have been six or seven, instead ofnbsp;the usual number of five. The calyx, a, is well preserved, andnbsp;presents faint indications of having had eight or ten fine angles,nbsp;and the base has the mark of the attachment of the peduncle wellnbsp;preserved, the scar being about half a line in diameter. In another specimen in my possession, which is about two thirds of thenbsp;length of fig. I8j and wlfich likewise has the scar of the attachment of the peduncle, it appears to have been still smaller, notnbsp;exceeding the fourth part of a line in diameter; this likewise isnbsp;about its diameter in fig. 19 a, where a very small portion of itnbsp;remains attached to the calyx. Tins specimen differs from figs.

20, and 21, in being largest near the base; but tliis variation in form probably arises from its not having arrived at a state of matmity. The longitudinal lines in tliis are distinctly ten innbsp;number, and the thin epicarpal membrane is nearly in a perfectnbsp;state of preservation. Some portions of these lines assume thenbsp;usual silicate appearance, while in other parts they present thenbsp;appearance of slightly raised ridges, such as minute bundles ofnbsp;vessels, running beneath a fine membrane, might be expected tonbsp;produce. This specimen .is figured with its base upwards, fornbsp;the pui-pose of giving the best view of the calyx, and of the longitudinal sulci. Fig. 21 represents a section of a fine specimennbsp;of tliis fruit; a a are portions of two of the seeds.

Hightea inflata.

(Plate 8, figs. 22 and 23).

Pericarp, greatest diameter at about the middle, where it is somewhat inflated, obscurely five-angled; apex obtuse and depressed.

The two fruits figm'ed are the only specimens of this very rare species which I have been fortunate enough to meet with.

36

Neither of them has the calyx remaining. Fig. 22 has the pe-ricai-p in a beautiful state of preservation; it is somewhat corrugated, and without any appearance of sulci. Fig. 23 has lost a considerable portion of the epicarp, and at the point a a smallnbsp;part of one of the seeds is seen. At the angle 6 is a deep sulcus,nbsp;and there is a similar appearance at each of the other foiu' angles, although less strongly marked. Between the angles thenbsp;surface of the fruit is somewhat depressed, giving it much thenbsp;appeai’ance of having five flat sides. The apex in both specimens is depressed- in a somewhat similar manner; but in thenbsp;imperfect pericarp fig. 23, the centre of the depression is a shallow indentation, while in the perfect pericarp, fig. 22, it is fillednbsp;up with a slightly projecting mass of the substance of the epi-cai-p. The bases of these fi-uits do not exhibit any marks or remains of the peduncle; but from the position of the seed, a, fig.nbsp;23, conjoined with other indications, there is little doubt that thenbsp;position of the figaires is correct, although, as I have not yet seennbsp;a section of this species, there is a remote probability that wenbsp;have en-ed in figming them in their present j)Ositions.

Hightea oviformis.

(Plate 8, figs. 24, 25, 26, and 28).

Pericarp oviform, largest towards the base.

Tliis species is the most abundant of the whole group. By far the greater number assume the shape of fig. 24, hut whennbsp;not fully developed have the form of fig. 25. Occasionally, instead of being of the usual oviform figure, they are nearly asnbsp;much expanded towards the apex as they are near the base, as innbsp;fig. 26; but this appears to he only when they are more than usually developed. The surface of fig. 24 has five large longitudi-dinal sulci, situated at nearly equal distances from each other:nbsp;between these are five smaller ones, which do not run in sonbsp;straight a direction as the lai'ger ones, and from which numerous

small branches are given olf, which assume an ascending direction.

Figure 25 has the calyx (a) rvell preserved; it has five equidistant angles, but the margin, as in many other cases, doesnbsp;not appear to be in a perfect state of preservation. The sulcinbsp;are not apparent, probably in consequence of the fruit not havingnbsp;been perfectly developed. Fig. 26 has five large sulci stronglynbsp;mai'ked near its apex, but unfortunately the fruit has a thin coatnbsp;of extraneous pyrites covering so much of its surface as to prevent om’ following them for any considerable distance. There isnbsp;no pai't of the calyx remaining, but at the base of the fruit there isnbsp;a well-defined circular area, marking its point of attachment; andnbsp;which, fi’om the regularity of its form, and other peculiarities ofnbsp;the scar, conjoined with its well-developed shape and size, wouldnbsp;seem to indicate that this was a pericai’p which had arrived at thenbsp;period of its full maturity.

Figm’e 28 exhibits a longitudinal section of a fruit of tlfis species, appai’ently in a state of development intermediate between figs. 24 and 2b : a a are sections of two seeds, the small size ofnbsp;which would seem to indicate that they had not arrived at maturity.

The interior of the placenta of this fi’uit was composed, at c, of a mass of carbonate or sulphate of lime; wliile the base, b,nbsp;and the exterior of the placenta, were as usual formed of pyrites.

The fruits of this species vary considerably in size. I have one specimen in my possession which does not exceed six linesnbsp;in length, and four in breadth, and others are found of all intermediate dimensions between it and figs. 24 and 26, which arenbsp;the largest I have seen.

When tlfis plate was engraved I included fig. 27 in this species, believing it to be a pericarp in a state of extraordinarynbsp;development. At that time I possessed no other specimens withnbsp;which it could be compared, but have since been so fortunate asnbsp;to obtain six others, which, from the form of their placentae andnbsp;other peculiarities, convince me that it must be considered as anbsp;species distinct from Hightea oviformis. But as I have made anbsp;reference to it for another pm-pose, I have allowed the figmenbsp;to retain its place in the plate,

D 3

38

Hightea turbinata.

(Plate 8, figs. 29 and 30).

Pericarp turbinate.

These fruits are readily to be distinguished from all other species by their peculiar turbinate form, I have met with onlynbsp;five specimens; of these fig. 29 is the most characteristic, andnbsp;in the best state of preservation. The apex of the pericarp isnbsp;somewhat depressed, and there is a fracture of a part of it throughnbsp;which the placenta (^a) is seen. There are no appearances ofnbsp;sulci to be detected in this specimen, but in another which I possess, and which has a portion of the pericarp in a good state ofnbsp;preservation, they are present, and exhibit much the same appearance as they assume in fig. 24, plate 8. The other twonbsp;unfigured specimens have lost the pericarp; one of them agreesnbsp;in form and proportion with fig. 30, and the other with fig. 29,nbsp;only that it is shorter and broader,—its length being only fivenbsp;lines, wlfile its breadth is seven and a half. Fig. 30 has lost anbsp;great portion of the pericarp; it is slightly depressed at the apex,nbsp;but not in so great a degree as fig 29 : a is one of the seeds projecting from among the mass of filamentous structure in whichnbsp;they are embedded.

Neither of the five specimens has any part of the calyx re-mammg.

Hightea orbicularis. (Plate 8, figs. 31—33).

Pericarp nearly spherical, smooth.

This species is by no means scarce: I have met with twenty-two specimens, none of which have the calyx remaining.

In many instances the separation of the pericarp from the calyx has taken place in a somewhat singular’ manner, by means

39

of a transverse fracture of the foot-stalk of the placenta within the pericarp, leaving a circular aperture in its base, about twonbsp;lines in diameter, as shown in fig. 31, a being the base of thenbsp;fruit. Fig. 32 has a similar aperture at its base : a portion ofnbsp;the peiicai'p of this specimen is wanting opposite to each of thenbsp;five angles of the placenta; through one of these openings twonbsp;of the seeds {a a) are seen in situ, and through another thenbsp;rounded and emarginate termination of one of the angles of thenbsp;placenta projects at b. Neither of the fruits figured at 31 andnbsp;32 exhibits any sulci upon the sm-face of the pericarp, but in thenbsp;specimen figured at 33, they are well marked and five in number. In another specimen in my possession they are still morenbsp;apparent, and assmne a similar ramified appearance to thosenbsp;shown in the figures 7 and 24, plate 8. In three well-definednbsp;specimens, which were broken for the purpose of examination,nbsp;the placenta was found to vary greatly in form. In one case itnbsp;was almost spherical; in another it assumed a conical form, thenbsp;apex being very broad and flat; and in the tliird it presented anbsp;form intermediate between the two former specimens.

Since the figm'es 31, 32, and 33 were engraved, I have received specimens much exceeding them in size, the largest being nine lines in diameter and seven in height; hut excepting in sizenbsp;they did not differ in any respect from those figm-ed.

Hightea minima.

(Plate 8, figs. 34—86).

Pericarp ovate or elliptical, not exceeding six or six and a half lines in length. Seeds nnmerous.

Upon examining the first two or three specimens of this frait, I thought they were immature examples of Hightea elliptica ;nbsp;but having since met with as many as twenty specimens in thenbsp;whole, I have been induced to alter my opinion, and to considernbsp;them as belonging to a truly distinct species. Young and im-

40

mature specimens of Hightea elliptica which I have in my possession, ai’e longer in proportion than our present species, and the seeds, although immature, are both longer and larger in proportion than those found in pericarps of Hightea minima, of anbsp;corresponding size.

Generally speaking, this species is likewise more prolific in seeds than Hightea elliptica. Upon two specimens only out ofnbsp;twenty that I possess, are there any remams of the calyx, and innbsp;these it is so badly preserved as to afford us but little informationnbsp;respecting its true foim and proportions. We may therefore, Inbsp;think, fairly infer, that although small, the pericarps were in anbsp;state of matmity when separated fi'om the parent plant. Independently of these facts, nearly the whole of our specimens exhibit every indication that we observe in fully-developed pericai’psnbsp;of other species of this group, both as regards the pericarp andnbsp;seeds, of their having attained a state of full matmity.

Figures 34 and 35 are two views of a specimen which w^as fractured to obtain a sight of its interior. In place of the usualnbsp;sulci there were five lines, slightly projecting from the smi’ace;nbsp;one of these lines, as seen at a, fig. 34, divides into two, and thennbsp;becomes obsolete. Upon another specimen which I have, thenbsp;usual five sulci are seen diverging from the apex of the pericarp,nbsp;and running for a short distance down the surface of the fruit;nbsp;but they cannot be traced in any of the other specimens. Fig.nbsp;34 is a view of a section of the same fruit, half of the pericai-pnbsp;having been removed, but the placenta and seed (a) remain nn-injmed. This fruit does not exhibit the usual profusion of seedsnbsp;observable in the greater number of specimens of this species;nbsp;but this may probably be attributed to its having been perforatednbsp;by an insect, as there is a deep excavation ( 6) in the placenta,nbsp;such as we often observe in recent fruits which have been thusnbsp;attacked.

Figure 36 has a portion of the pericarp wanting, opposite to each of the five angles of the placenta. These portions exhibit

a a a, four of the seeds, and at 6 6 we have a view of the bifid terminations of two pf the angles of the placenta. In tins little

41

pericai-p there appear to be at least as many as eleven seeds.— In another of my specimens, which has the apertures of the peri-caiy) opposite to the angles of the placenta larger than in the former one, there are twelve seeds to he seen; and it is probablenbsp;that were the pericai-p to he broken, the true number of seedsnbsp;would prove to he twelve or fomteen, a number far exceedingnbsp;that usually found in any of the preceding species. At the basenbsp;of this specimen, at c, there is a small portion of the calyx re-maming.

Hightea turgida.

(Plate 7, fig. 27, and Plate 9, figs. 1 — 8).

Pericarp nearly spherical. Placenta, terminations of the angles very much produced and emarginate.

This species does not differ in external form from Hightea orbicularis, excepting that the apex of the pericarp is somewhatnbsp;more produced, as seen in fig. 27, plate 8, and figs. 1 and 5,nbsp;plate 9. It usually presents a more uneven surface than Highteanbsp;orbicularis, as is represented in figs. 1, 2, and 3, plate 9, presenting very much the appearance of having been a fleshy ornbsp;pulpy fruit. The pericarp in fig. 27, plate 8, is considerablynbsp;thicker than in either of the three specimens figured in plate 9,nbsp;and its surface is much more even; probably this may have arisennbsp;from its not having been quite ripe.

The fruit represented by figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, plate 9, is the most perfect of six specimens in my possession. The pericai-p isnbsp;open at the apex, as shown in fig. 2, plate 9; and it distinctlynbsp;exhibits the usual five sulci from the apex to nearly half way towards the base. The attachment of the placenta to the calyx isnbsp;broken off just within the base of the pericarp, as seen at a in fig.nbsp;3, plate 9. No part of the calyx remains on any of the specimens of this species which I have seen.

The placenta is short and broad, and has the angles very

42

much produced at their termination at the apex, which has five deep sulci radiating from its centre to the termination of eachnbsp;angle, and causing tliem to be deeply emarginate. See fig. 2,nbsp;plate 7; figs. 4, 6, and 8, plate 9; and fig. 8, plate 8.

From the number of the angles of the placenta and the space occupied by them, in the fractured part of the specimen represented by fig. 4 plate 9, there is every reason to believe that itnbsp;has as many as six angles; ¹ but in all the other specimensnbsp;their number is, as usual, only five.

The seeds are few, and appear to he usually seated upon the apex of the placenta, as represented in the section fig. 8, a a,nbsp;plate 9. I have in no case seen them beneath the projectingnbsp;terminations of the angles at the apex of the placenta. They arenbsp;about the usual size, and possess a similarly reticulated testa tonbsp;that of the other members of the group.

It is extremely probable that many other species of this interesting genus will hereafter be discovered, as the detached placentae, figs. 37 and 47, plate 8, cannot be assigned to anynbsp;known species, unless it should hereafter be proved that one ofnbsp;them belongs to Hightea injlata. Fig. 39 plate 8 likewise differs so much in foim from any of the well-known species, as tonbsp;render it highly probable that it may hereafter be found to belongnbsp;to a new one.

1

Since the plate was engraved and the above passage written, this fruit has decomposed so much as to allow of this supposition being proved to he correct.

43

PETROPHILOIDES.

(Plate 9, figs. 9—21: and Plate 10, figs. 1—8).

Fruit, a strobilus. Squamce usually confluent, rarely separate. Seed bilo-bate, without a comose or foliaceous appendage.

Wlien I first examined specimens of Petrophiloides Ri-cliardsonii, I was mucli inclined to believe them to be allied to Casuarina ; but upon a more careful inspection, I saw that theynbsp;differed from the fruits of that genus, in having the squamae of thenbsp;cones, and the seeds, inserted in a transverse direction insteadnbsp;of being parallel to the axis of the fruit, and also in the squam®nbsp;being confluent in the fossil, while in the frnit of Casuarina theynbsp;are separate from each other.

Upon showing the fossil cones to Dr. R. Brown, he very kindly pointed out to me the affinity existing between them andnbsp;the genera Petrophila and Leucadendron, and particularly withnbsp;one species of the former genus—Petroph. diversifolia—described in his ‘ Prodromus Flor® Nov® Hollandi®,’ page 365.nbsp;To this species our fossil cones approach nearer than to any othernbsp;known plant with which I am acquainted. In both the recentnbsp;and the fossil fruits, excepting in one species of the latter—Petrophiloides imbricatus, the confluent sqnam® fonn well-definednbsp;cells, each containing a single somewhat lenticular seed. But thenbsp;seeds inthe fossil differ from those of the recent frnit, in having,nbsp;in all the species in which I have been able to separate them,nbsp;a deep longitudinal furrow down the middle of each of theirnbsp;broadest surfaces, as seen at a, fig. 13, plate 9; and at c and d,nbsp;fig. 4, plate 10 : but in no instance have I been able to detectnbsp;anything in the form of a comose appendage in the fossil.

Upon examining the fractm-ed portion of the stem represented at c, fig. 15, plate 9,1 found it to exhibit a striking resemblancenbsp;in structure to the stalks of several recent genera nearly allied

44

to PetropMla: and neither in the specimen figured, nor in several others wliich were fractmed in a longitudinal direction, could I perceive, with a microscopic power of one hundred and sixtynbsp;linear, the slightest traces of the dotted ducts and the peculiarnbsp;form of structiu'e so characteristic of the true Coniferai.

With this evidence of our fossil cones belonging to the Prote-acete rather than to the true Conifeiw, and of then: approximation to Petrophila, I have thought it better to call them Petrophiloi-des, rather than to designate them by any other name whichnbsp;would not serve as an indication of their nearest affinity with genera existing at the present period.¹

Petrophiloides Richardsonii.

(Plate 9, figs. 9—15; Plate 10, figs. 5 — 8).

Cone oviform, about one diameter and a half in length. Squama confluent, with slightly gibbous apices. Seed compressed, oval, obtuse and bilobate.

I have named this beautiful and interesting fruit in honour of my friend Wm. Richardson, Esq. F.G.S. amp;c., to whose hindnessnbsp;and hherality I am indebted for nearly three hundred specimens.

They were found during the autumn and winter of 1837, on the beach near Swale Cliff, Herne Bay, where they had beennbsp;washed out irom a considerable mass of clay that had recentlynbsp;fallen from the face of the chff. The greater number of the specimens were by no means in so fine a state of preservation asnbsp;those figm-ed in plate 9, having apparently suffered much fromnbsp;compression and maceration previously to their becoming fossilized. Fig. 9 represents a cone in which the squamae are perfectly closed, no advance towards dehiscence having taken place.

1

The learned author of the ‘ Prodromus Flof® Novae Hollandi®,’ in describing the generic characters of Petrophila, writes thus of the cones.^“ Strobilus ovatus: nux lenticularis, bine comosa v. samara basi barbata.” The species foiming thisnbsp;genus are separated into four divisions; to the third of these belongs Petrophila di-versifolia. The characters of this division are,—“ Strobilus, squamis connatis, samara foliacea dilatata.”

45

Fig. 10 represents one in a somewhat more advanced state, the transverse line of separation being distinctly visible, and to a verynbsp;slight degree open. Fig. 11 is a cone in a remarkably fine statenbsp;of preservation, still further advanced towards dehiscence; twonbsp;thirds of its length from the base upwards being in a state similarnbsp;to that of fig. 10, wliile the upper third has shed its seeds, leaving a series of deep cells with semicircular mouths; while fig. 12nbsp;is one in which the whole of the operation of dehiscence has beennbsp;completed, nothing remaining but a series of empty cells.

Figm’e 13 represents a tmnsverse section of a cone which is half the size of the figure; the fractm’e has apparently takennbsp;place previously to the fruit becoming a fossil. I have madenbsp;many transverse sections of the cones of this species, but havenbsp;never succeeded in procuring one so good as that figured: a aanbsp;are three seeds in situ ; h is another enveloped in the thin membranous portion of one of the scales; and c is a fifth seed, anbsp;small part of which is seen through a fracture in the scale thatnbsp;covers it. Fig. 14 is a longitudinal section through the centrenbsp;of a cone, magnified to twice the natural size, showing the manner in which tlie seeds are disposed in the cells formed by thenbsp;confluent scales of the cone : a a a a a are flve out of the numerous seeds exliibited by the section. Fig. 15 represents anbsp;portion of a cone with nearly half an inch of the stalk attachednbsp;to it: a is the natural size of the specimen; h a magnified viewnbsp;of the stalk in the same position as at a ; c is a view of the contrary side of the end of the stalk, showing the divergent layersnbsp;of the wood in a distinct and very beautiful manner.

Upon compaimg the structure exhibited in this and in other similar specimens, with the wood of small stalks of cones of anbsp;PetropMla from near Sydney, a striking similarity was perceived.nbsp;I have not, in any mstance, been able to detect in the fossil anynbsp;traces of the dotted ducts, which are so abundant in the woodynbsp;stmcture of the recent and fossil Coniferte.

Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, plate 10, are different views of a very interesting specimen of this species, belonging to the Canterbury Museiun, and of which, tlnough the kindness of W.

46

Masters, Esq., the able and zealous curator of that Museum, I have been favom’ed with the loan. At first I was strongly inclined to believe it to he a distinct species. It is only after anbsp;very close inspection that the confluent character of the squamaenbsp;can be at all detected, and then in no other part than the smallnbsp;poi-tion of the fruit represented near the centre of fig. 5, platenbsp;10, and even there only when the light falls upon it in the mostnbsp;advantageous direction. This slight indication of confluence ofnbsp;the squamae, with the apparently strong evidence of their separation presented in the views 6, 7, and 8, plate 10, would, I believe,nbsp;have led me to consider it as a distinct fruit from Petrophiloidesnbsp;Richardsonii, had I not fortunately found, among the numerousnbsp;duplicates of that species in my possession, one that unites in anbsp;singular manner the characters of the cone represented by figs.nbsp;5, 6, 7, and 8, plate 10, and those of figs. 9, 11, and 12, platenbsp;9. The whole of one side of this singular specimen, winch hasnbsp;apparently suffered much from decomposition and partial compression, presents the same appearance as fig. 7 plate 10; whüenbsp;the opposite surface combines, in a very distinct manner, the characters presented by figs. 9, 11, and 12, plate 9. We can therefore only consider the specimen belonging to the Canterburynbsp;Museum as a variety, arising probably, not only from the conenbsp;having entfrely shed its seeds, but also from its having been verynbsp;far advanced in a state of decomposition before it was embeddednbsp;in the clay, and had become fossilized: and this opinion is stronglynbsp;confirmed by the broken state of the squamae and the disruptionnbsp;of their cellular structure, which is perceived when examinednbsp;microscopically.

Figm-es 5 and 6, plate 10, represent the two broadest surfaces of the cone, which is somewhat compressed. Fig. 7 presents a view of one side of it, and fig. 8 is a foreshortened view representing its apex.

Plate 10 was engraved a considerable time before the specimens figured in plate 9 came into my possession, otherwise figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 plate 10, would have followed in their propernbsp;places in plate 9.

47

The fruits of this species vary much in size; tlie largest I have seen measures sixteen lines in length and ten and a half innbsp;mean diameter at about the middle: the smallest I have metnbsp;with was only five and a quarter fines in length, by four and anbsp;half in diameter.

Petrophiloides cellularis.

(Plate 9, figs. 16 and 17).

Cone cylindrical, about tliree times its own diameter in length. Squama: confluent; apices depressed, with a small cenUal umbo.

The two beautiful little specimens figm'ed were among the numerous cones from Herne Bay, presented to me by my fiiendnbsp;Wm. Richardson, Esq., and were the only two of this speciesnbsp;that I had then seen. In character they differ materially fromnbsp;the species last described, being twice as long, in proportion tonbsp;their diameter, as Petroph. Richardsonii. The nonnal fonn isnbsp;probably, as nearly as possible, cylindrical; fig. 16 varying fromnbsp;it by a slight increase of its anterior portion, and fig. 17 by anbsp;slight decrease of the same part: probably the variation, in thenbsp;latter case, may have arisen from the fruit not having been quitenbsp;so fully developed as in the former instance.

The apices of the confluent squamae are uniformly and considerably depressed, having in the centre of each of the little surrken areas thus produced, a minute conical umbo.

A thii-d specimen which I have recently received, through the kindness of Thos. Hunt Esq., of Herne Bay, has nearly halfnbsp;an inch of the stalk attached to the base of the cone. It is ofnbsp;about the same size, arrd very similar in its extermal appearancenbsp;to that of Petroph. Richardsonii represented at a and b, fig. 15;nbsp;the size of the cone is equal to that of fig. 16, and the formr similar to that represented fig. 17. In every other respect it closelynbsp;resembles the figured specimens.

I have not seen the seeds of this species.

48

Petrophiloides cylindricus.

(Plate 9, figs. 18 and 19).

Cone cylindrical, about two and a half times its own diameter in length.— SqnawKs confluent: apices not depressed.

These two cones are remarkably alike, excepting in size.— Their form, in both instances, approaches very nearly to that ofnbsp;a cylinder. Fig. 18 is very slightly compressed, but its meannbsp;diameter and length are as nearly as possible the same in proportion as those of fig. 19. The apices of the squamae are entirelynbsp;free from depression, and present an even surface over the wholenbsp;of the fruit. Neither of the specimens shows any signs of dehiscence. I have not seen the seeds of this species, those figiu'ednbsp;being the only two specimens I have met with. They werenbsp;found among the cones from Heme Bay, presented to me by Mr.nbsp;Richardson.

Petrophiloides conoideus.

(Plate 9, fig. 20).

Fruit conical. Squamte confluent: apices slightly depressed.

This is the only specimen of the present species that I have seen: it came from Herne Bay, among the cones already mentioned as presented by Mr. Richardson. It is very different innbsp;form from the whole of the species of this group before described.nbsp;The areas formed by the confluence of the squamae are somewhat sunken, hut not so deeply as in Petroph. cellularis; andnbsp;it likewise differs in not possessing the distinct and prominentnbsp;umbones found upon the apices of the squamae in that species.nbsp;The side of the apex of the cone opposite to the one figured, hasnbsp;a small piece broken away, but the fracture does not exliibit anynbsp;portion or indication of the seeds.

49

Petrophiloides ellipticüs.

(Plate 9, fig. 21).

Cone elliptical, al)out twice its greatest diameter in length. Squama confluent, apices gibbous and umbonate.

This specimen has undergone a very slight degree of compression, hut not enough to induce me to believe that its form has ever been otherwise than as it is represented. The squamaenbsp;are confluent, with their apices slightly concave near the marginal lines, and their central portions projecting considerablynbsp;beyond the margin. They are terminated, when in the most perfect state of preservation, by a small, sharp umbo. When thenbsp;umbo is not present, a depressed circular area occupies its place.

For this specimen I am indebted to my kind ftiend Wm. Richardson, Esq. I have seen but one other specimen of this fruit, and for that I have to thank Thos. Hunt, Esq., of Heme Bay.nbsp;In all its essential characters it agrees with the figured specimen,nbsp;but is rather larger in proportion near its base.

I have not seen the seeds of this species.

Petrophiloides oviformis.

(Plate 10, figs. 10 and 11).

Cone oviform. Squama confluent.

This fruit was found on the beach at Sheppey, nearly parallel with Minster Church. It is the only one of the species which Inbsp;have seen. The specimen is not in the slightest degree compressed, but has unfortunately suffered too much from attritionnbsp;upon the beach, to allow of our gaining a knowledge of the details of its structure. However, the foim of the cone, and thenbsp;minuteness of the cells arising from the confluence of the squa-

50

mse, are characters sufficient to warrant us in regarding it as distinct from all the other descrihecl species of this group.

Figure 10 is a view of the cone in an erect position; fig. 11 is a foreshortened view, exhibiting the apex.

Petrophiloides imbricates.

(Plate 10, figs. 1 — 4).

Cone elliptical, about twice its own diameter in length. Squamce not confluent, thin and broad. Seeds compressed, circular, bilobate.

This fruit has undergone considerable compression, being five lines in thickness and ten in breadth; its mean diameter is therefore about seven and a half lines, or perhaps something more.nbsp;But its principal distinction is not so much dependant upon itsnbsp;fom, as upon the marked difference exhibited in its squamae fromnbsp;those of all the preceding species. In this instance, instead ofnbsp;standing out fi'om the middle of the cone, at nearly right angles tonbsp;its axis, in the manner observed in the whole of the species beforenbsp;described, they are disposed in the form of a series of imbricatednbsp;scales, to all appearance unconnected with each other, as thenbsp;closest scrutiny has failed in detecting any appearance of confluence. In structure and mode of disposition the squamae stronglynbsp;resemble those of the cone of an Isopogon, which I have lately received from the neighbourhood of Sydney, Australia; exceptingnbsp;that in the fossil they are broader, and without the spinous termination at their apices, so observable in the recent cone of Isopogon.

The seeds are broader in proportion to thefr length than those of Petrophiloides Richardsonii, hut in other respects they verynbsp;much resemble them. One seed is seen in situ, as representednbsp;at a, in figs. 1 and 4, plate 10; and another, which was removednbsp;from the spot indicated at b, fig. 1, plate 10, is figured separatenbsp;from the cone at c and d, fig. 4, plate 10 : the foi-mer being in

51

an erect position, and the latter reversed, and shpwing the contrary side of the seed.

Figure 1 represents one of the broadest surfaces of the cone, with a portion of the squamse removed to exhibit tlie seed in situ ;nbsp;fig. 2, the contrary side to fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a foreshortened viewnbsp;of the cone in an erect position, exhibiting its apex. Fig. 4 isnbsp;a foreshortened view of the cone reversed, to show its base, fromnbsp;which the stalk has been broken away close up to the cone.

CUPRESSINITES.

(Plate 10, figs. 9 and 12—36).

The fruits forming this group are evidently members of the natoal order Cupr'essinee; — some of them closely resemblingnbsp;in their structure the recent fcnits of Cupressus, while others approach equally near to those of recent species of Thuja, especiallynbsp;of Th. orientalis. Another species is very similar in structure tonbsp;the fruit of a Callitris from Australia, but with this difference,nbsp;that the cupula of the recent fruit is divided into six segments,nbsp;wlnle that of the fossil has only five. Other members of thisnbsp;group are not to be referred, with so great a degree of certainty,nbsp;to any of the known genera belonging to the ConifercB, but atnbsp;the same time they present such evident proofs of their close alliance with the remaining species of the group, that I have thoughtnbsp;it advisable to place the whole of them together, and to term themnbsp;Cupressinites, which will allow of our uniting under one designation, a greater number of these evidently very nearly alliednbsp;fr-uits, than could have been done had I attempted to refer themnbsp;to M. Adolphe Brongniart’s genus Cupressites.¹

1

Brongniart, in Ms ‘ Prodrome d’une Histoire des Végétaux Fossiles,’ desorilses a genus Cupressites, wMch. is thus characterized.—Rameaux disposées sans ordre,nbsp;feuilles insérées en spirale sur six ou sept rangs •, sepales élargies a leur hase, fruit

52

Div. 1__Cupula double ; inner one three-cleft.

CUPRESSINITES GLOBOSUS.

(Hate 10, figs. 12, 13, 14, 32 and 33).

Fruit globose; inner cupula three-cleft, outer cupula cup-shaped. Seed single, somewhat conical; testa smooth.

These fruits vary considerably in size : figs. 12 and 13 represent the largest, and figs. 32 and 33 the smallest specimens of the species that I have seen. I have five others in my possession, of different intermediate sizes •, one of which is represented at fig. 14. The whole of the specimens present nearlynbsp;the same form, with the exception of the fruit represented hynbsp;figs. 12 and 13, and another specimen, which are somewhat depressed ; hut probably this is only an accidental variation. Innbsp;the specimen represented hy fig. 14, the inner cupula is morenbsp;open than is usually the case; in the greater number it is closed,nbsp;as in fig. 12. The outer cupula is cup-shaped and fleshy, andnbsp;closely embraces the base of the inner one, in most cases for aboutnbsp;one third of its length, as at a, in figs. 32 and 33, plate 10.—nbsp;The inner cupula envelopes the seed so closely, as usually to leavenbsp;but a very small portion of its apex visible through the triangular opening at the apex of the fruit. The apices of the divisionsnbsp;of the inner cupula, are nearly semicircular in the younger specimens, as at figs. 14 and 32, plate 10; while in the more mature ones, as in fig. 12, they are still more obtuse. The divisionsnbsp;in the inner cupula do not appear to extend to more than aboutnbsp;two thirds of its length, or to about the spot where the outer cupula tenninates; but it is difficult to decide exactly what theirnbsp;extent may he, as all the specimens of this species in my posses-composé d’ecailles peltées, marquées d’uiie mammelon conique dans leur centre.”nbsp;One species only is mentioned,— Cupressites Hulmanni, Bronn, in Leonh. Min.nbsp;Zeit.—Grès bigarré, (Bronn).

53

sion have a poilion of the outer cupula remaining attached to their bases.¹

In a specimen of this fruit wliicli was fi-actured for examination, the inner cupula, at about the middle, was somewhat more than a line in thickness; and when examined with a microscopic power of one hundred and sixty linear’, appeai-ed to henbsp;composed of an iiTegular mass of cellular tissue. Within thenbsp;cupula was found a single somewhat conical seed, four lines innbsp;length, and three and a half in diameter at its greatest circumference, which was at about one third of its height from the base.nbsp;The seed was enveloped by three distinct and well-defined coats;nbsp;tire outer one was the one hundred and twentieth pai’t of an inchnbsp;in thickness,—the middle one the three hundred and tliirty-thirdnbsp;part of an inch,—and the inner one the one hundred and fiftiethnbsp;part of an inch in thickness. The outer and middle coats ap-pear’ed to be composed of minute hregularly-disposed cells, wliilenbsp;the inner one was formed of a single layer of lai’ge elongatednbsp;cells, disposed in lines radiating from the centre of the fruit, andnbsp;presenting a very beautiful appearance when viewed with a microscopic power of one hundred and sixty linear. Between tMsnbsp;tliird or inner coat and the seed, there was a thin stratum of shining granulai’ pyrites, of about the same tliickness as the truenbsp;inner coat, and which had the appearance of being a fom'thnbsp;coat; but upon a close examination the inequality of its thickness, its brightness,—arising from its not containing any remainsnbsp;of carbonaceous matter, and the total absence of organic struc-tm-e, proved it to be merely an mfiltration of pyrites into a spacenbsp;which had existed between the inner coat of the testa and thenbsp;seed. In a second specimen fractured for examination, the innernbsp;cellular membrane was found closely adhering to the sm-face ofnbsp;the seed. A longitudinal fr-acture of the seed afforded but verynbsp;fiiiiit traces of cellular structm’e, and no indication of the presencenbsp;of an embryo.

1

The seeds of the common heech (Fagus sylmtica) are contained within a four-cleft cupula, which divides for only about two thirds of its length from the apex towards the base.

F 3

54

Figure 12 plate 10 represents a view of the apex of a very fine specimen of this species, belonging to the Canterbury Museum, for the loan of which I am indebted to the kindness of W,nbsp;Masters, Esq. Fig. 10 is a view of the base of the same fruit,nbsp;which is partly obscm’ed by an incrustation of pyrites. Fig. 14nbsp;represents a small specimen of this species, having the divisionsnbsp;of the cupula wider apart than usual.

Figure 32 represents another small specimen. In this the divisions of the inner cupula are somewhat apart, hut not to sonbsp;great an extent as in fig. 14 : a is the outer cupula; h the innernbsp;cupula; c c, portions of the seed seen tluough the partiallynbsp;opened cupida. Fig. 33 is a view of the base of the same fruit.

CUPRESSINITES ELONGATES.

(Plate 10, figs. 15—18).

Fruit elongated, somewhat oviform : outer cupula short, ohsoletely three-lohed; inner cupula three-cleft, sulcate. Seed single, oviform; testa rugose.

I have met with hut fom’ specimens of this fruit, and of these the two figured were in the best state of preservation; the unfi-gm-ed specimens agree closely in size and form with the figurednbsp;ones. The outer cupula, in this species, is smaller in proportion to the size of the fruit, and of less thickness, than in the last;nbsp;and it also difiers from it in being obsoletely lohed, as represented at a in figs. 16 and 18.

In the specimen represented at fig. 18, the lobes of the outer cupula are more produced than in the fruit represented by fig.nbsp;16 : but as the outer cupula of the latter is not in so good a statenbsp;of preservation as that of the former, I am inclined to behevenbsp;that the form of the outer cupula in fig. 18 is the most con’ect.

Upon fracturing one of tile unfigured specimens in a longitudinal direction, the seed, which was a mere hollow shell oipyrites, was unfortunately broken into so many pieces, as not to allow of

55

its fonii being determined with the same degi’ee of accm’acy as in the last species: but from the impression presented by the interior of the inner cupula, there is every reason to believe it tonbsp;be oviform. The fragments of the seed displayed three distinctnbsp;coats, very similar in structure and proportion to those of Cupres.nbsp;glohosus ; but the sm-face of the outer one, unlike that of the lastnbsp;species, was distinctly rugose. The division in the cupula in thenbsp;fi'uit represented by fig. 16, may be fr’aced as far down as to thenbsp;superior margin of the outer cupula.

Figure 15 represents a fruit in an erect position: fig. 16 the same fruit in a reversed position, exhibiting an irregular triangular aperture, from which the stalk has apparently been torn. Fig.nbsp;17 is a view of the apex of another specimen; a is a small patchnbsp;of extraneous pyrites: fig. 18 is a view of the base of the samenbsp;specimen.

Div. 2.—Cupula single, three-cleft.

CUPRESSINITES RECURVATUS.

(Plate 10, fig. 19),

Fruit globose; cupula smooth, three-cleft; apices attenuated, recurved.

This is the only specimen I have seen of this species. It differs from the only species with which it might be confounded, Ciipres. glohosus,—in the greater degree of attenuation of thenbsp;apices of the three-cleft cupula, and in the points being distinctlynbsp;and umformly recurved. No trace of an outer cupula appeai-s innbsp;this species.

I have not examined the interior of this fruit, but from a portion of the seed visible through the divisions of the cupula, at a a, fig. 19, plate 10, I believe ft to be single, and probably very similar in structure to that of the preceding species.

56

CUPRESSINITES SUBFUSIFORMIS.

(Plate 10, figs. 35 and 36).

Cupula somewhat fusiform, corrugated, three-cleft to about midway between the base and apex of the fruit.

I am indebted to Thos. Hunt, Esq., of Heme Bay, for this beautiful and unique specimen. It is six and a half hues innbsp;length, and five lines in diameter at about its middle, from whichnbsp;it decreases in size in about an equal degree to its base and apex,nbsp;thus assuming a short fusiform figm’e. The epicarp is in a perfect state of preservation; it is exceedingly ragged, being coverednbsp;from the base to the apex with deep irregular furrows, intermixed with faint aciculated lines, which run in a direction atnbsp;right angles to the axis of the fruit. The peduncle appears tonbsp;have been very slight, as scarcely a trace of its attachment to thenbsp;base of the cupula remains. Not even the shghtest appearancenbsp;or impression of an outer cupula can be traced in tliis finiit.

Figure 35, plate 10, is a foreshortened view of the fruit in nearly an erect position, exhibiting its apex: fig. 36, plate 10,nbsp;represents the base of the fruit.

Div. 3.—Cupula four-cleft.

CuPRESSINITES CURTUS.

(Plate 10, figs. 20 and 21).

Cupula four-cleft, short; apices of tbe sections very obtuse.

This beautiful little fruit belongs to the Canterbury Museum, and is one of those with the loan of which I have been favourednbsp;by their able Curator, W. Masters, Esq.

The divisions in the cupula extend very nearly to its base, and are somewhat unequal in thefr proportions 3 a and b, fig. 20

57

plate 10, being five lines in length trom their insertion on the stalk to their apices, while c is only four lines, and d hut littlenbsp;more than three lines in length.¹ The interior of this specimennbsp;is unfortunately filled up with crystallized pyrites, and the exterior surface having suffered from a partial decomposition, I havenbsp;been unable to gain any certain knowledge of its external structure ; but to all appearance it has been somewhat rugose, ornbsp;coarsely striated.

Figure 20 presents a view of the interior of the fruit, and the apices of the divisions of the cupula. Fig. 21 exhibits the basenbsp;of the fruit, with a small portion of the foot-stalk, about a line innbsp;length, remaining attached to it.

CuPRESSINITES COMPTONII.

(Plate 10, fig. 34).

Cupula four-cleft, divided to the base, quadrangular; sections of the cupula unequal, the two opposite to each other being broad and obtusely terminated, while the alternating sections are nanw, and acutely terminated.

I found this beautiful and unique specimen in the collection of the Marquis of Northampton, who kindly favoured me with anbsp;loan of it. It is six and a half lines in height, and a little morenbsp;than five lines in thickness fi'om side to side. It is broadest atnbsp;about one third of its height from the base, and gradually diminishes in size to the apex. The epicarp is in a fine state of preservation on three of the sides, where it is smooth, but gatherednbsp;up into irregular rugae, as if it had partially suffered by maceration, and had been slightly detached from the surface beneathnbsp;before it became fossUized. The fourth side has lost the greaternbsp;part of its epicarpal tissue; on the denuded portion are seen a

1

This disproportion in the sections of the cupula frequently occurs in the fruits of the nearly-allied recent genus Thuja, and occasionally to a much greater extentnbsp;than in our fossil specimens, especially in Thuja orietitalis.

58

few vascular bundles, running parallel to each other, fi'oni near the base towards the apex of the fruit. A very small portion ofnbsp;the peduncle remains attached to the base; it is about a line andnbsp;a half in diameter.

CuPRESSINITES THUJOIDES.

(Plate 10, figs. 22 and 23).

Cupula four-cleft, elongated ; sections acuminate.

This fruit, in the number and fonn of the divisions of the cupula, as well as in the depth to which it is cleft, approaches very nearly to the fruit of Thuja orientalis, but differs fr’om it in notnbsp;being fumished with the spur on the exterior surface of the apexnbsp;of each of the divisions of the cupula. Whether there have beennbsp;two seeds situated at the base of each of the divisions of the cupula, as in the recent plant, Thuja orientalis, it is impossible tonbsp;ascertain, as the interior of our fossil is so incrusted with extraneous pyrites as totally to prevent our determining this interesting point. A tliin film of extraneous pyrites is spread over nearlynbsp;the whole of the external surface of the cupula, which preventsnbsp;us from gaining a satisfactory view of its structm-e; but from somenbsp;small portions wliich are not thus obscured, it appears to havenbsp;been somewhat rugose, and to have had a depression towards thenbsp;middle of the base of each of the segments.

The divisions of the cupula are unequal in size: a, fig. 22, plate 10, is the smallest in the specimen figured, and is but sixnbsp;lines in length, while the longest is somewhat more than eightnbsp;lines long, although a small part of its apex has evidently beennbsp;lost; the other two sections are of intermediate dimensions. Fig.nbsp;22 is a view of the fruit in an erect position j and fig. 23 represents the base of the frait.

59

CüPRESSINITES CRASSUS.

(Plate 10, fig. 9).

Cupula four-cleft; divisions fleshy, nearly triangular and tenninating in a point.

The specimen figured is only the half of a cupula, hut it is in so good a state of preservation as to afford us much interestingnbsp;information.

The segments of the cupula are nearly of equal dimensions, and are so fleshy, that if a transverse section of one of them werenbsp;to he made at about midway between its base and apex, the formnbsp;it would present would he nearly that of an equilateral triangle.nbsp;The external surface is lacunose and slightly depressed from thenbsp;apiex to very near the base. The middle of the internal sm’face,nbsp;fi-om the base to the apex of its segments, is projected forwardsnbsp;to so great a degree, as to form two out of three sides of an equilateral tiiangle, as represented at c c, fig. 9, plate 10; d d beingnbsp;the exterior surfaces of the two divisions remaining of the cupula.nbsp;Upon each of these internal faces of the segments, there is anbsp;slightly depressed oval area, as represented at e e, fig. 9, indicating that each segment had been furnished with two seeds;nbsp;and in this respect it agrees exceedingly well with its recent congener, Thuja orientalis, in which we find two seeds attached tonbsp;the base of each segment of the cupula, wliich causes an angularnbsp;projection down the centre of the interior surface of each, but notnbsp;to so great an extent as in the fossil fi'uit. The seeds in the recent fi-uit of Thuja orientalis are oviform; and in this respectnbsp;likewise they agree udth those of om- fossil, which, as fax as wenbsp;can judge from tlie impression left upon the segments of the cupula, ai'e Very similar in form. A. small portion of the stalk remains attached to the base of the cupula, as represented at h h,nbsp;fig- 9, plate 10; the lower figure bemg a view of the exterior ofnbsp;the fruit, and the upper one of the interior surface.

60

Div. 4.—Cupula Jive-cleft.

CüPRKSSINITES SUBANGULATUS.

(Plate 10, figs. 24 and 25).

Cupula five-cleft: exterior surfaces of the segments suhangular.

This beautiful specimen is the only one of the species which I have yet met with. The cupula is cleft to very nearly its base.nbsp;The external surface is smooth, and each segment, when perfect,nbsp;is carinated for about one fomth of its length from its apex downwards towards the base, when the carina resolves itself into twonbsp;lines, winch pass olF in cmwes towards the respective sides of thenbsp;base of the segments of the cupula, as represented at a, fig. 24,nbsp;plate 10. In the specimen figured, the whole of the segments ofnbsp;the cupula do not present this appearance; upon two of them thenbsp;characters are very clearly developed, upon one hut very faintly,nbsp;and upon the remaining two they are not to he traced at all; butnbsp;as these last present a broader and more flattened aspect than thenbsp;other three segments, it is probable that the absence of the carina and the two cmwed lines, may be attiibuted to accidentalnbsp;cu’cumstances.

The nearest approximation to our fossil among the recent fruits with which I am acquainted, is presented by the fi-uit of anbsp;species of Callitris from the Swan River settlement, Australia,nbsp;with which I have been furnished through the kindness of mynbsp;friend N. B. Ward, Esq.; but the recent fruit differs from thenbsp;fossil, in the cupula being divided into six segments instead ofnbsp;into five.

Figure 24, plate 10, represents the fruit in an erect position, with a small portion of the stalk remaining attached to its base.nbsp;Fig. 25 is a view of the base of the same finit, exhibiting thenbsp;extent to wliich the cupula is cleft.

61

CUPRESSINITES COREUGATUS.

(Plate 10, figs. 28 and 29). nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;i

Cupula five-cleft, segments lanceolate, somewhat concave, and corrugated on their outer surface.

I have seen but one specimen of this species of fruit. The cupula is somewhat depressed in form, fleshy, and divided nearlynbsp;to the base into five equal segments j each of which is shghtlynbsp;concave towards the base of the exterior surface, as at a, fig. 28,nbsp;plate 10: and the whole exterior sm’face of the cupula is verynbsp;much coiTugated. No part of the stalk remains attached to thenbsp;fruit, hut its point of attachment is marked by a small circularnbsp;area, suiTounded by an elevated fleshy ring, as represented innbsp;fig. 29, plate 10. Upon cleaving this fruit through its centre innbsp;a longitudinal direction, it proved to he filled up with fine granular pyrites, and no traces of a placenta, seeds, or organized structure could be detected.

Figm-e 28 represents the fhut in an erect position: fig. 29 is a view of its base.

CuPRESSINITES SULCATUS.

(Plate 9, fig. 22).

Cupula five-cleft, subovoidal, segments lanceolate, gibbons, smooth, with a single longitudinal sulcus in the centre of each external surface.

The cupula of this fruit is in an unusually fine state of preservation. It is divided down to its base into five equal gibbous segments; the external sm-face of each segment is perfectly smooth, with a shallow sulcus extending from the apex to about half waynbsp;towards the base. The outer portion of the apices of the segments has been partially removed, apparently by decompositionnbsp;previously to their becoming fossilized, as they do not present the

62

appearances usually produced by attrition. Each segment is composed of a series of layers of vegetable tissue, winch project beyond each other in succession, from the lower portion of the fractm’e tonbsp;the apex of the segment. At the' base of the cupula, as at a, fig.nbsp;22, plate 9, there is an appendage which very much resembles thenbsp;remains of an outer cupula; but I have been unable to prove it tonbsp;be so, as I have seen no other fruit of this species, nor have I beennbsp;able to detect organized structm-e in any part of its surface, withnbsp;a microscopic power of one hundred and sixty linear. A portion ofnbsp;the stalk, about two lines in length, still remains attached to tinsnbsp;supposed outer cupula. Appended to this stalk, and closely embracing it (as represented at h h, fig. 29), are two small, opposite, projecting masses, similar in size and form, separated by annbsp;equal space on each side of the stalk, and presenting every appearance of being the remains of the bases of two sessüe leaves.nbsp;It is possible that these singular appendages may be accidental;nbsp;but their coincidence in foim, size, and position, render it extremely probable that they are the remains of bracteal or othernbsp;leaves: although in the species of Callitris alluded to in treatingnbsp;of Cupressinites suhangulatus, as nearly allied to the fi’uits nownbsp;under consideration, there are no indications of either a secondnbsp;cupula or of hracteal leaves, although an inch in length of thenbsp;stalk remains attached to one of the specimens.

Cupressinites semiplotus.

(Plate 9, fig. 23).

Cupula splieroidal, five-cleft, slightly rugose; divisions about one third the length of the fruit.

The specimen figured is slightly compressed in a direction diagonal to its axis, but the normal form of the fruit appears tonbsp;be spheroidal. It differs from the three preceding species in thenbsp;cupula not being cleft for more than about one third of its length.

63

from the apex towards the base of the frmt. It is slightly rugose upon some parts of the cupula, especially near the base of thatnbsp;portion opposite to the side figured.

The divisions of the cupula are equal and rather gibbous; and upon one of them there is a slightly elevated line, extendingnbsp;fi-om the apex of the section to near the base of the cupula: hutnbsp;as similar lines ai'e not to he traced with any degi’ee of certaintynbsp;upon the remaining sections, we cannot place any dependencenbsp;upon them as a specific character. The base of the truit exhibits a slight depression, indicating the situation of the peduncle,nbsp;of wliich organ no portion remains.

The specimen figured is the only one I have seen.

CuPRESSINITES TESSELATUS.

(Plate 10, figs. 26, 27, 30 and 31).

Fruit gloliular, sinootli, -with five lateral and one terminal scutifonn plates, the latter somewhat umbonate.

I have met with hut three specimens of this fi-uit, which all agree in the number, form, and mode of arrangement of the partsnbsp;of wliich they are composed. When not in a state of expansionnbsp;this fruit is nearly globular, as represented by figs. 30 and 31,nbsp;plate 10; the former presenting a view of it in an erect position,nbsp;the latter exhibiting its base. Figures 26 and 27 are two viewsnbsp;of a much larger specimen of the same species.

The external appearance of this truit strongly induces me to beheve it to be closely allied to the recent genus Cupressus, especially when compared with Cupr. sempervirens, the fruit ofnbsp;w hich is composed of an irregular number of broad peltate scales,nbsp;supported upon very short pedicels, and each terminating in anbsp;prominent umbo, which projects from about the centre of the upper surface of the scale. Om- fossil is, in like manner, composednbsp;of five lateral, scutiform, scales or plates, hut without umbones.

64

fitting closely to a broad, angular base, as represented at fig. 31, plate 10, which is a view of the base of a fruit, with a small portion of the stalk (a) remaining attached to it. The five lateralnbsp;plates do not extend to the apex of the fruit, which is formed by anbsp;sixth plate or scale, as seen at a, fig. 30, plate 10, and which, innbsp;this instance, is considerably more gibbous at about its centre thannbsp;the lateral ones. This is also the case, although in a less degree,nbsp;with the terminal plate (a) of the fruit represented at fig. 27,nbsp;plate 10; but in the corresponding plate in the third specimennbsp;which I have, there is no difference in this respect between it andnbsp;the smTOunding ones.

In all the fruits of the recent species of Cupressus which I have hitherto seen, dehiscence seems to be effected by a gradualnbsp;contraction of the masses forming the peltate terminations of thenbsp;squamae of the galbulus, by which means a sufficient space occm’snbsp;between their edges to allow of the free egress of the seeds j butnbsp;in our fossil, this would appear to have been effected in a verynbsp;different manner. Figs. 26 and 27, plate 10, represent thenbsp;largest specimen of this species winch I have yet seen. Tirenbsp;whole of the lateral plates, with the terminal one remaining attached to them, appear to have separated spontaneously fromnbsp;the broad angular base of the fruit, as not the slightest appearance of injury is visible upon any of the posterior edges of thenbsp;lateral plates represented in fig. 26, plate 10, which is a view ofnbsp;the interior of the fruit given in fig. 27, plate 10. I should havenbsp;been inclined to suppose the singulaily expanded state of thenbsp;fhiit an accidental circumstance, had I not met with a third specimen, which, although very much smaller, agrees perfectly innbsp;the number, form, and position of its plates, with fig. 27.

It is much to be regi’etted that in both these expanded specimens, the interior of the fruit is filled up with extraneous pyrites, whereby we are prevented from ascertaining whether any portions of the pedicels of the scales still remain attached to them.

â– -p

mi

65

CUPANOIDES.

(Plate 11, figs. 1 to 24 inclusive).

Capsnle superior, three-celled, three-valved, and three-seeded; dehiscence loculicidal. Seed erect, face straight: testa woolly. Placenta central, triangular.

The fruits composing this group appear to approximate very closely, in all their essential characters, to the description givennbsp;hy Camhessides of Auhlet’s genus Trigonia; ¹ hut in the formnbsp;of the pericarp (the interior of which I have not seen), they ditfernbsp;very considerably from the specimen of Trigonia in the lierha-rium of the British Museum. The shape of the pericarp ofnbsp;Cufpania Americana comes much nearer to the form of our fossilnbsp;than that of any other fruit with which I am acquainted. Thenbsp;external form varies in a very trifling degree from that of fig. 8,nbsp;plate 11, and the valves of the pericarp separate precisely in thenbsp;same manner as in the fossil; hut the seeds of the recent fruitnbsp;differ materially from those of the fossil. In Cupania they arenbsp;oviform, and have the base, and nearly half the seed, envelopednbsp;in a cupuhform arillus; the testa is destitute of all woolly or downynbsp;fibre 3 and the hilum is situated at the lowest point of the basenbsp;of the seed: a few straggling downy fibres are found interlacingnbsp;each other Avithin the valves of the pericarp. In all these pointsnbsp;it will be seen that the recent seeds differ materially from thosenbsp;of our fossils.

In the fossil fruits of this genus the epicarp is thin and membranaceous, the sarcocarp more or less pulpy or fleshy, andnbsp;the endocarp membranaceous, someAvhat like paper in its texture, and frequently presenting the appearance of a series ofnbsp;Avrinkled lines. These lines, originating at the placenta, pass offnbsp;towards the exterior of the pericarp in an ascending chrection, asnbsp;seen in figs. 11 and 12, which exhibit the interior of the fruitnbsp;represented by fig. 10, after it had been fractured longitudinally

1

See Lindley’s ‘ Natural System of Botany,’ ‘211(1 Edition, p. 121.

F

66

through, the valves a and h: the endocai’pal membrane a a, figs.

11 and 12, having sepai'ated from the sarcocai'p, remains attached to the seeds, a portion of one of which is seen through a fracturenbsp;at c, fig. 11. The seeds (figs. 5 and 6, the foiTuer exhibiting anbsp;view of the side, and the latter of the face) were sepai-ated fr'omnbsp;a decomposing specimen of Cupan. injlata. The face a, fig. 5,nbsp;is straight, and closely applied to the central tiiangular placenta.nbsp;The hilum is situated a little above the basal point of the seed,nbsp;as represented at h, fig. 6, and its point of attachment is nearlynbsp;at the base of the placenta. The sides of both these seeds arenbsp;compressed, and marked with wrinkled lines similar to thosenbsp;represented at a, fig. 12: the direction of these lines affords anbsp;ready means of distinguishing the base from the apex, when thenbsp;seed is separated from the placenta, and when the hilum is notnbsp;so appai’ent as it is in fig. 6. When the testa is viewed with anbsp;power of eighty linear, it is seen to be coated with a very finenbsp;thickly-set pile or down, the direction of the fibres of which isnbsp;fi'om the face towards the back of the seed.

When an attempt is made to fi’acture the capsules longitudinally, and in the line of their valves, the pericarp always divides into loculicidal sections; and in many fragments of these fr'uitsnbsp;which appear to have separated naturally, I have found that thenbsp;division of the pai'ts has always followed the same law. I havenbsp;fractm-ed many of the seeds in seai’ch of cotyledons and embryo,nbsp;but without any satisfactory result; in two instances I observednbsp;a small, oval, black mass, near the base of the seed and oppositenbsp;to the hilum, but I could not, with a microscopic power of one hundred and twenty linear, detect any traces of vegetable structoe.

M. Ad. Brongniart, in his ‘ Prodrome d’une Histoire des Végétaux Fossiles,’ page 129, under the head of Cannece, appears to describe one of these fi-uits. He says,—“In a depositnbsp;of a much more recent date, namely, in the clay of the Isle ofnbsp;Sheppey, have been discovered several specimens of a fruit,nbsp;which, in many respects, bears a gi’eat resemblance to that ofnbsp;Amomum. These fruits ai’e in a very good state of preservation.nbsp;They are triangular, much depressed, and umbilicate at the sum-

67

mit. They appear to have three valves; and the depression at the summit seems to present a very small circular area, whichnbsp;may indicate the cicatrix of an adherent calyx. All these characters agree with what we observe in the fruits of some speciesnbsp;of Amomum,

“ Notwithstanding this striking analogy, I am aware that other fruits, especially in their most important external characters, present nearly as well-mai-ked a resemblance to these fossils.nbsp;For example, not only do the fruits of several of the Iridete andnbsp;Liliacem agree rvith them in being equally three-angled and adherent to the calices, but even those of some dicotyledonousnbsp;plants (such as Gouania) as well. However, in the fossil fruits,nbsp;and in those of the Cannece, we find a slight furrow in the centrenbsp;of each plane surface, which furrow never could have existed innbsp;the fruits of Gouania, as the part where it occm’s corresponds tonbsp;the cell which, in that genus, contains the seed; while, in thenbsp;Cannece, it answers to the septum winch exists in the centre ofnbsp;each valve.

“ As we cannot positively afiirm these fruits to be generically identical with those of Amomum, or of some other plant belonging to the family of the Canneae, although we may have a strongnbsp;presumption that such is the case, we shall give them the namenbsp;of Amomocarpum, and leave them among the yet uncertain mo-nocotyledonous plants.” *

*“On a découvert dans un terrain d’une époque bien plus récente, dans 1’ar-gile de 1’ile de Sheppey, plusieurs écbantillons d’un fruit qui a beaucoup de rapporte avec ceux des Amomum. Ces fruits sont trés bien conserves; ils sont trigones, trésnbsp;déprimés et ombiliqués au sonimet; ils paroissent a trois valves, et la depression dunbsp;somniet nous semble présenter une trés petite aréole circulaire, qui indiqueroit la cicatrice d’un calice adhérent. Tous ces caractères s’accordent avec ce qu’on observenbsp;sur les fruits de quelques espéoes A^Aimomum.

“Malgré cette analogie frappante, je sais que d’autres fruits présentent avec ce-lui-ci des rapports presques aussi marqués, surtout dans les caractères extérieures les plus importans. Ainsi non seulement les fruits de plusieurs d’Iridées et de quelquesnbsp;Liliacées, mais même ceux de quelques plantes dicotylédones, telles que les Gouania,nbsp;sont également trigones et adhérens aux calices. Cependant on remarque sur Ie fruitnbsp;fossile et sur les fruits des Cannées un léger sillon au milieu de chaque surface plane,nbsp;sillon qui ne peut jamais exister sur les fruits des Gouania, cette partie correspondant

68

From tlie wliole of this passage I have but httle doubt that the fruits now under consideration are those described by Brong-niartj and I am the more strongly confirmed in this opinion,nbsp;fi'om never having seen any others from the London clay, whichnbsp;answer so well to his description as our genus Cupanoides. Itnbsp;is true, there are some discrepances existing between our fruitsnbsp;and those described by the learned author of the ‘ Prodi'omenbsp;d’une Histoire des Végétaux Fossiles.’ Thus, in no instancenbsp;have I seen any indication of “ a small circular area ” upon thenbsp;apex of the capsule; hut, on the conüary, in the best-preservednbsp;specimens out of fifty-eight which I have in my possession, therenbsp;is usually a slight projection at the junction of the valves, as represented at c, figs. 3, 7, and 10; and at the base of the fruit anbsp;projecting ring or collai', represented at d, figs. 3 and 8, whichnbsp;bears every appeai’ance of having been the proper receptacle upon which the calyx and other parts of fmctification were seated.nbsp;It is also evident that M. Brongniart had not fractared any ofnbsp;the specimens in his possession, otherwise he would have beennbsp;awai'e of the fact that each cell of the capsule contained butnbsp;one seed, which at once removes our fossil fi'om the genus Amo-mum. But let it he remembered that such discrepances maynbsp;very readily arise, from the fi-uits under consideration being sonbsp;subject to an alteration of theh external smTace through partialnbsp;decomposition; and that, in addition to this, it is highly probable that M. Brongniart was not well supplied with specimens.—nbsp;Under all these circumstances of the case, I have thought it advisable to apply anotlier name to these fi’uits, and have adoptednbsp;that of Cupanoides, as atfording the best clue to their affinitiesnbsp;among recent plants.

alalogequicontientla graine ; tandis que, dans les Cannées, elle répond a la cloison que chaque valve port sur son milieu.

“ Ne pouvant pas afiinner l’identité générique de ces fruits avec ceux des Amo-mum OU de quelque autre plante de la familie des Cannées, quoique nous la présu-mions beaucoup, nous leur donnerons Ie nom d.’Amonwcarpum, et nous les laisserons parmi les monocotylédones encore incertaines.”

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CUPANOIDES LOBATUS.

(Plate 11, figs. 1 and 2).

Capsule three-lobed, apices of the lobes slightly projecting beyond the apex of the capsule: base attenuated: dissepiments very naiTOW. Seeds seinicordate:nbsp;base pointed.

The dissepiments of this species are so narrow as to cause the capsules to assume the appearance of three strongly-producednbsp;lobes, each of which is slightly elevated above the apex of thenbsp;central axis of the fruit, a, fig. 2. The angles formed by the projection of the cells were filled up with extraneous pyrites, as seennbsp;at h h, figs. 1 and 2; but upon removing a portion of this substance from one of them, it was appai'ent that the dissepimentsnbsp;at that part could not have exceeded half a line in depth. Thenbsp;epicarp appears to have been removed by maceration; but anbsp;small part of the stalk, c c, figs. 1 and 2, remains attached to thenbsp;Unit. The specimen represented by figs. 1 and 2, is the onlynbsp;one of this species that I have seen.

CuPANOIDES CORRUGATUS.

(Plate 11, figs. 3 and 4).

Capsule tbree-sided, slightly gibbous near tbe base : apices of tbe valves on Snbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;apex of tbe capsule : base attenuated. Epicarp coiTugated.—

semtcordate: base pointed : apex compressed laterally.

Tliis beautiful fossil is one of the most common species of the present pup. I have in my possession as many as eighteennbsp;fine specimens, six of wliich have more or less of the receptaclenbsp;and peduncle remaining attached to them. Fig. 3 representsnbsp;one of the finest of these, but is not quite in a state of matmity.nbsp;vv nen me capsule is fully matured, a transverse section at aboutnbsp;midway between the base and apex forms nearly an equilateralnbsp;triangle, the sides of which very slightly incline towai’ds the axis

F 3

70

of the fruit. Near the base of the capsule the middle of each of the sides is slightly gibbous.

In the greater number of my specimens the epicarp is wanting ; hut in the fruit represented by fig. 4, and in several other well-preserved specimens, it exhibits an uneven corrugated appearance, as shown on the surface at a, fig. 4. The seed, whennbsp;viewed sideways, presents a semi-cordate outline; at the apex itnbsp;is very much compressed laterally, but towards the base it swellsnbsp;out suddenly and very considerably, so as to assmne nearly thenbsp;same form as that of the common edible mussel,—Mytilus edulis.nbsp;The receptacle (d, fig. 3) is well preseiwed; and the remainingnbsp;portion of the peduncle (a), when viewed with a power of eightynbsp;hnear, exhibits the bark in a fine state of preservation: it isnbsp;smooth, but somewhat wrinkled longitudinally. I have not beennbsp;able to obtain a satisfactory view of the woody structure of thenbsp;stalks, but fi'om their general appearance should suppose it probable that these fruits have been the produce of trees or shrubs.

CUPANOIDES SÜBANGULATÜS.

(Plate 11, figs. 7, 8, and 9).

Capsule three-sided, angles obtuse: base nearly equal to the apex in breadth. Epicarp transversely corrugated. Seeds renifonn, slightly compressed laterallynbsp;at the base.

This species may readily be distinguished from all its congeners by the great obtuseness of the angles of the capsule, and by its expanded base, which is very much larger in proportion tonbsp;the size of the capsule, than in any other known species. Whennbsp;viewed in the direction of the axis of the fruit, with the apex towards the eye, as represented at fig. 7, the sides are seen to curvenbsp;inwards, hut so sHghtly, that the outhne bears the form of nearlynbsp;an equilateral triangle, with the angles rounded off. The apexnbsp;of the capsule is shghtly umbonate at the junction of the valves,nbsp;as represented at c, fig. 7. Fig. 8 is a view of the capsule in an

71

erect position, with one of the valves (tig. 9) removed, by which two of the seeds in fig. 8 are exhibited in situ, and the dissepiment a a, fig. 9, is exposed to view, together with the interiornbsp;surface of the valve.

The seeds are renifonn, and not so much compressed as those of the preceding species, hut towards the base there is anbsp;sUght degree of lateral compression.

The receptacle d, fig. 8, is in a good state of preservation, and is very much larger in proportion than that of Cupanoidesnbsp;corrugatus, fig. 3, d. Beneath the receptacle there remains anbsp;small piece of the stem, a, fig. 8, with a portion of the hark, whichnbsp;appears to be corrugated in a longitudinal direction. The peduncle is nearly twice the diameter of that of Cupan. corrugatus.

Cupanoides grandis.

(Plate 11, figs. 10, 11, and 12).

Capsule semilobate : angles somewhat obtuse: base ventricose. Epicarp smooth. Sarcocarp fleshy. Seeds mytiliform.

This is by no means a rare fruit: I have in my possession fifteen specimens. It is very variable in size; the smallest notnbsp;exceeding five lines in length, and six in breadth from angle tonbsp;angle, while the largest is eight lines long and ten ivide : thenbsp;whole of them agree in form and proportion. Fig-10 representsnbsp;one of the largest specimens I have seen; the apex of the capsule is umbonate at the junction of the valves, but in the greaternbsp;number of specimens this is not the case, or but very slightly so.

The capsule is much more ventricose near its base than at any other part; and this appears to arise, in a great measure,nbsp;from the seeds expanding in a lateral direction at about the pointnbsp;c, fig. 12, in consequence of which they very generally assumenbsp;nearly the form of the Mytilus edulis, or common edible mussel:nbsp;but when very strongly developed, as in the specimen exhibitednbsp;by figs. 11 and 12, if viewed in a lateral dfrection, a tendency to

72

take somewhat of a reniform outline will he perceived, in consequence of the back of the seed, near the points opposite to c, figs, 11 and 12, being more produced than usual.

Tlie sarcocarp, at the part midway between the base and apex of the capsule, is about a line in thickness; the cells of which itnbsp;is composed are not arranged with any degree of regulaiity.—nbsp;When viewed with a microscopic power of eighty linear, a fewnbsp;minute sacculi were observed, around which the cells assumed anbsp;radiating direction for a short distance : fasciculi of very minutenbsp;vessels were also seen amid the mass of cellidar tissue. A smallnbsp;portion of the stalk remaining attached to the base of one of thenbsp;largest specimens of these fruits, measm-ed one line and a half innbsp;diameter.

Figures 11 and 12 represent a capsule divided longitudinally; a a two of the seeds, b h the triangular placenta.

CUPANOIDES TUMIDUS.

(Plate 11, figs. 13 —17).

Capsule fleshy, tumid, largest towards the apex, which is slightly depressed; angles obscure. Epicarp covered with minute tubercles. Seeds somewhat my-tiliform.

Figure 13 represents the base of this fruit, somewhat inclined towards the eye for the purpose of exhibiting the portions of thenbsp;valves as they are seen at that part of the capsule. Fig. 14 is anbsp;view of the apex of the same fruit in a similar position to fig. 13.nbsp;Figs. 15, 16, and 17 are views of the interior of the three valvesnbsp;of the same fi-uit, after having been separated fi-om each other.

The capsule, in tliis fruit, appears to be considerably thicker in proportion than in any of the preceding species. At aboutnbsp;midway between the base and apex (a, figs. 15 and 17) it is anbsp;line in thickness, and near the base {h, figs. 15 and 17) about anbsp;line and a half. It is tumid, and presents the appearance ofnbsp;having possessed a much more succulent sarcocarp than any

of the preceding species. The apex, as represented in fig. 14, is somewhat depressed, and there are also three longitudinal depressions immediately over and following the line of the dissepiments, hut which gradually lessen in depth as they recede fromnbsp;the apex, and finally disappear before they have quite passednbsp;over one third of the length of the pericarp. Tlie angles of thenbsp;capsule, a a a, fig. 13, are very much rounded, and the epicarpnbsp;is closely studded with minute, irregularly disposed, tubercles,nbsp;wliich do not exceed the one hundi'ed and fiftieth of an inch innbsp;diameter. Two of the seeds, c c, figs. 16 and 17, are seen innbsp;situ; they are large, and fiU the whole of their respective cells.nbsp;Tlie apex is less acute than the base, and is somewhat compressednbsp;laterally, so as to cause the seed to assume, in a slight degree,nbsp;the mytiloid fom.

The fruit figured is the only specimen of this species that I have seen.

CUPANOIDES INFLATES.

(Plate 11, figs. 18 — 22).

Capsule fleshy, inflated, apex umhonate; angles obsolete. Epicarp covered with minute tubercles. Seeds, apex acute, not compressed.

Pigm-e 18 represents the base of one of these fruits in a position shghtly inclined towards the eye : fig. 19 is a view of the apex of the same specimen in a similar position. Figs. 20, 21,nbsp;and 22 exhibit the interior surfaces of the three valves of thenbsp;same fhiit separated from each other.

In its general appearance this species strongly resembles the preceding one, hut differs from it in always having the apex ofnbsp;the capsule umhonate, and in the apices of the seeds being universally terminated nearly as acutely as their bases. Nor havenbsp;I observed, in any one of the seven specimens of tiffs species innbsp;my possession, any indication of the depressions immediatelynbsp;above and in the line of the dissepiments, which me so fully

74

displayed in Cupanoides tumidus, (fig. 14). In two out of the seven, the capsule is not nearly so much inflated as in the onenbsp;represented by figs. 18 and 19, and the angles are more producednbsp;than those represented at a a a, fig. 13; but upon separatingnbsp;the valves of these two specimens, the difference was satisfactorily accounted for, by finding the seeds very much smaller innbsp;proportion, and the pericarp, although less inflated, considerablynbsp;thicker, than the con-esponding parts in the fruit represented bynbsp;figs. 20, 21, and 22; thus indicating that the variation in fonnnbsp;is to he attributed rather to the immatmity of the specimens under consideration, than to any specific difference.

The seeds in the sections figs. 20, 21, and 22, have been fractm’ed longitudinally, so that each half of the cells has a portion remaining within it, excepting that represented at a, fig. 21.nbsp;At a a, figs. 20 and 22, the nucleus, very much contracted innbsp;size, is seen through the fractured testa; but the best view ofnbsp;the seeds is offered by figs. 5 and 6, plate 11, which representnbsp;two of them in a particularly fine state of preservation. Fig. 5nbsp;is a side view, a being the face of the seed: fig. 6 represents thenbsp;face of another seed, equally well preseiwed, with the hilmn (6)nbsp;situated a little above the base.

The minute tubercles upon the epicarp very closely resemble those upon the same paid; in Cupanoides tumidus ; but they arenbsp;not apparent upon the specimen figured, although very distinctnbsp;in some others which I have obtained since plate 11 was engraved.

Cupanoides depeessus.

(Plate 11, fig. 23).

Capsule sublobate: base attenuated, turgid: apex depressed, umbonate.

Wlien plate 11 was engraved, I had hut one specimen of this fruit in my possession, and was much inclined to beheve itnbsp;to be a variety, probably of Cupanoides lobatus ; but since thatnbsp;period I have obtained another specimen, somewhat more fully

75

developed, but in other respects agi’eeing so exactly with the fruit represented by fig. 23, that I no longer hesitate to considernbsp;it a true species. In size and form the capsule comes nearer tonbsp;those of Cupanoides lobatus than to any other species in the present group ; but it is considerably more turgid towards the base.nbsp;The latter character is not well exhibited in fig. 23, the specimen there represented being unfortunately obscured by patchesnbsp;of extraneous pyrites, which extend from the base to the apex,nbsp;between each of the lobes: but in the better-developed specimennbsp;which I have since acquired, the distension of the capsule at thenbsp;point corresponding to that indicated by a, fig. 23, is so great,nbsp;that a transverse section of the fruit made at that spot would present, as nearly as possible, the tlnee sides of an equilateral triangle.

Tlie apex of the best-developed specimen is still more depressed than in the fruit represented by fig. 23; and at the junction of the valves, immediately above the summit of the placenta, there is a distinct and well-produced umbo, but which, innbsp;fig. 23, b, is scarcely perceptible.

I have not seen the seeds of this fruit; but judging from the tm’gid form of the base of the capsule, and the rounded and somewhat compressed apices of the lobes, I have little doubt of theirnbsp;being mytiloid in form.

I know not to which of the fruits of this genus M. A. Brong-niart has applied the name of Amomocarpum depressum, but presuming from his description that it is this species, I havenbsp;named it accordingly.

Cupanoides pygm,eus.

(Plate 11, fig- 24).

Capsule depressed, diameter greater than its height: base attenuated, posterior and anterior halves equal.

When fig. 24 was engraved, I had not met with any other specimen of this fruit than the one there represented, and wasnbsp;therefore in some doubt whether to consider it a true species,

76

but since that time I have met with two others. One of these is a starved and meager specimen, while the other is somewhatnbsp;rounded between the valves, and more fully developed than thatnbsp;represented by fig. 24.

In the specimen figured, which is better developed than the other two, the seeds are seen projecting from between the valves,nbsp;as represented a a a, fig. 24, which is a view of the fruit withnbsp;the apex of the capsule presented to the eye. In both instancesnbsp;this appears to have arisen, not from this mode of dehiscence being a natm-al one, but from a partial decomposition of the sai'co-cai-pal tissues near the angles of the capsule; as in both casesnbsp;portions of the endocarpal tissue remain, closely enveloping thenbsp;seeds. In all the three specimens the junction of the valves atnbsp;the apex of the capsule is without either umbo or depression.

I have not seen the seeds of this species separate from the capsule, but to all appearance they are nearly the same in formnbsp;as those represented by figs. 5 and 6, but less compressed laterally, and not quite so acute at the back. No vestige of the peduncle remains in either of the fruits.

TRICARPELLITES.

(Plate 11, figs. 25 to 44).

Capsule three-celled, three-valved, three-seeded; dehiscence septicidal.— Seeds erect, compressed from back to face : hilum a little above the base of thenbsp;seed. Placenta central, triangular; angles tumid near the base.

The form usually presented by these fruits is that of an elongated, three-angled, capsule, as represented by figs. 25, 26, 32, 36, 39, and 43, plate 11. If a transverse section be made ofnbsp;one of these capsules, it will be found to consist of three cells,nbsp;each containing a single seed, closely embraced by the capsule,nbsp;as seen in the sections represented by figs. 30 and 44. Whennbsp;an attempt is made to separate the cells from each other, through

77

tlie line of tlie valves, they are always found to divide septicid-ally; the surfaces thus separated from each other present, under a microscopic power of eighty linear, even and unbroken faces,nbsp;covered with a regular and beautiful reticulation, produced bynbsp;impressions of the cells upon the thin membrane covering thenbsp;cellular tissue of which the dissepiments are formed. None ofnbsp;these cells are broken into, as must inevitably have been the casenbsp;had the plates of which the dissepiments are constructed, beennbsp;naturally strongly cemented together. We are therefore, I thinli,nbsp;justified in concluding, both from the structure of the dissepiments, and the facility rvith which the valves separate from eachnbsp;other, that the original mode of dehiscence of these Iruits wasnbsp;septicidal.

The seeds contained within the cells are erect and somewhat compressed from back to front, as represented by fig. 31, « beingnbsp;the base and b the apex. These seeds, when in a state of ma-tmity, very frequently have a slightly-cmwed line passing transversely over the back, as represented at c, and the space betweennbsp;this line and the base a, is very frequently more compressed thannbsp;the remainder of the seed.

Tins would appear to arise from a singular occmrence which takes place in the capsules. In the fruit represented by figs. 27nbsp;and 28, there are three, uniform, deep excavations at the base ofnbsp;the pericaiq), at the point mai'ked a in both figures; and in thisnbsp;instance these excavations extend, not only through the walls ofnbsp;the capsule, but also deep into the substance of the seeds. Butnbsp;this is not always the case ; as in some other instances of the occurrence of these excavations, the basal pordion of the capsule isnbsp;perforated, whUe the seed remains uninjured, being howevernbsp;marked in the manner represented at c, fig. 31. These perforations are not, as might have been supposed, the effects of thenbsp;instinctive attack of an insect upon that paid of the seed in wliichnbsp;it is liighly probable the embryo is situate, for I have in my possession some capsules in a very perfect state of preservation, thenbsp;epicarp not being in the slightest degree injured, in which thenbsp;transverse line c, fig. 31, is represented upon the epicaiqi, on one

78

of the valves, by an indented curved line, on the second valve by a raised line, but on the thud face, there is no indication of it tonbsp;be perceived. Hence it would appear that this curious circumstance is a natm’al habit of the fruit, and not an accidentalnbsp;mutilation.

Out of twenty-eight specimens examined in search of this peculiarity, the capsules of eleven were not perforated at aU;nbsp;eight were penetrated on one face, five on two, and four on allnbsp;the three faces.

The hilum is situated at about the length of a line from the base of the seed, which is attached to the placenta by a short funiculus, the ninetieth part of an inch in diameter. The testa isnbsp;thin, not exceeding the two hundred and fiftieth part of an inchnbsp;in thickness, and is composed of four or five layers of cellularnbsp;tissue; the cells in the outer layer being of a depressed form,nbsp;and of greater size than in the inner ones, and giving the surfacenbsp;of the testa a beautifully reticulated appearance. The form ofnbsp;the areas is trapezoidal, and their diameter about the five hundredth part of an inch. In one seed, of which a transverse section was made, this outer layer of cells had separated from thenbsp;other portion of the testa, for nearly three fourths of its circumference, from which it would appear that the outer layer of thenbsp;testa was formed by it: but in other seeds examined in the samenbsp;manner, there was no indication that the outer layer belonged tonbsp;a coat distinct from the other cellular sti'uctm’e of the testa, except the marked difference in the size of the cells composing it.

The sm’face of the nucleus, when viewed with a microscopic power of eighty linear, is seen to be faintly striated longitudinallynbsp;with fine aciculated lines, which, on a spot near the base of thenbsp;seed where they were most distinct, were not more than the twonbsp;thousand five hundredth part of an inch asunder.

The placenta is central and triangular, and extends from the base to the apex of the capsule. It is largest towards the base,nbsp;and the angles are tumid near the spots from which the funiculinbsp;umbilicales originate; above this part it gradually decreases innbsp;size, and the angles become shai'per, so that it assumes the form

79

of a well-defined prism. The funiculi originate from the faces of the placenta near its base, at points equidistant fi’om its angles.

It is singular that among the number of specimens of this family which have passed through my hands, there should not exist upon any of them the slightest remains of the peduncle.

Tricarpellites communis.

(Plate 11, figs. 25 — 31).

Capsule smooth, largest near the base, gi-adually decreasing in size to the apex: length of the valves rather more than twice their greatest width. Seeds,nbsp;testa reticulated.

I have twenty-three well-preserved specimens of this fruit, the smallest of which is three and a half lines in length, and thenbsp;largest six lines: the whole of them agree in form and proportions. The capsule is smooth and even, and is largest at aboutnbsp;one tliird of its length from the base. The length of the valvesnbsp;in proportion to their breadth, is as twenty-three to ten. Thenbsp;testa of the seeds of this species is beautifully reticulated; hutnbsp;when the seed is forcibly separated fi’om the cell, by which it isnbsp;closely embraced, the testa is usually left behind; the best specimens are obtained by allowing the capsules to become somewhatnbsp;decomposed, when the seed generally retains the testa.

Figm-es 25 and 26 are two views of the same fi’uit; the former, at a, exhibits the base of the placenta, the tumid angles of which give it a three-lobed appearance. The latter figiu'e, at b,nbsp;displays the small triangular apex of the placenta.

Figures 27 and 28 are two views of a second specimen, exhibiting at a the deep excavations at the base of the capsule, described in the introduction to the fi-uits of this family. Fig. 29 exhibits the interior surfaces of one of the valves of a capsule separated fi’om the placenta: a is the base; b, the funiculus um-biUcalis; c, the angular groove impressed by the placenta; d dnbsp;surfaces of the dissepiments. Fig. 30 represents a transverse

80

section at about the middle of the seed-vessel: a a a are tlu'ee immature seeds, closely embraced by the fleshy valves of thenbsp;capsule. Fig. 31 is a view of the back of a mature seedj a thenbsp;base, b the apex.

Tricarpellites patens.

(Plate 11, figs. 32 — 34).

Capsule smooth, largest near the middle, decreasing equally towards the base and apex; breadth of the valves about four-fifths of their length.

I have met with but two specimens of this species; flgs. 32 and 33 represent the finest of these, a being the apex and b thenbsp;base. Fig. 34 is a view of the second specimen, which is not innbsp;so good a state of preservation as the former one : a is the apexnbsp;of the trait.

The capsule of this species, like that of Tri. communis, is smooth and even, but in other respects it differs materially. Thenbsp;broadest part of the valve is about equidistant from the base andnbsp;apex of the frait, and at this part its breadth in proportion to itsnbsp;length, is as fom’ to five. The base and apex of the placenta innbsp;the fruit represented by figs. 32 and 33 are well displayed, andnbsp;very much resemble those of the preceding species.

The fruit of which fig. 34 is a representation, is in a frilling degi’ee longer in proportion than that given in figs. 32 and 33;nbsp;but as it is also smaller, it is probable that this may arise from itsnbsp;not having anived at so mature a state as the other.

I have not obtained the seeds of tliis species separate from the pericaiq), but a portion of the nucleus is seen through thenbsp;fractm-es at b b, fig. 34, by which it would appear that they arenbsp;shorter and broader in their proportions than those of Tri. communis, represented by fig. 31. One of the valves of the smallernbsp;of these fruits is excavated at the base, in a manner similar to a,nbsp;figs. 27 and 28; but the excavation is confined to the pericaiq),nbsp;and does not enter the back of the seed.

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Tricarpellites curtus.

(Plate 11, fig. 35).

Capsule smooth, largest near the middle; breadth of the valves nearly equal to their length.

I have met mth but three specimens of this species. Fig. 35 represents the only one that was in a perfect state of preservation ; the remaining two are much mutUated, but their valvesnbsp;appear to have been somewhat less acute at their bases than thosenbsp;of the figured specimen.

The surface of the capsule is smooth and even. The average breadth of the valves in proportion to their length is as eleven to thirteen, and their greatest breadth is midway between thenbsp;base and apex, or very little above that point. The seeds arenbsp;broad and short in proportion to the valves, and the testa is reticulated. I have not seen the placenta of this species.

In fig. 35^ a is the base and h the apex of the capsule, which is somewhat distorted in form.

Tricarpellites grasses.

(Plate 11, fig. 36).

Capsule smooth, largest near the middle ; length of the valves somewhat less t an twice their greatest breadth.

Next to Tricai'p. communis this is the most abundant species of the present group. It varies considerably in size, but the proportions of the smaller specimens are not different from those ofnbsp;t e larger ones. Fig. 30 represents the largest I have seen ; it

is SIX and a half fines in length, while the smallest is but four lines long.

The capsule is smooth and even, and the valves are widest at about midway betiveen the base and apex, where their breadth

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in proportion to their length is as fourteen to twenty-three. The seeds are long, and much compressed from back to front; thenbsp;length of one of those belonging to the capsule represented bynbsp;fig. 36, which was fractured longitudinally from back to face, wasnbsp;five lines and a half, and its thickness near the middle only aboutnbsp;two thirds of a line.

Of seven specimens in my possession none Avere excavated at the base of the valves, in the manner represented at a, figs 27nbsp;and 28, but several of them exhibited the curved line, indicatingnbsp;their participation in that singular habit. The testa exhibits indications of being reticulated in a similar manner to that partnbsp;in the preceding species, hut I have been unable to obtain anbsp;satisfactory view of it.

Fig. 36 a represents the base of the capside.

Tricarpellites gracilis.

(Plate 11, figs. 37 and 38).

Capsule smooth, or obsoletely striated longitudinally, largest towards the apex: base somewhat attenuated: length of the valves exceeding three times theirnbsp;greatest breadth.

I have seen but two specimens of this fruit, both of which I have figured. The general aspect and proportions of each arenbsp;very nearly the same. The greatest breadth of the valves is atnbsp;a point somewhat nearer to the apex (h, figs. 37 and 38) than tonbsp;the base, and each is marked alike with faint indications of longitudinal furroAVs; their breadth is to their length as six to twenty.

The larger specimen has been perforated by an insect at c, fig. 38.

I have not seen the seeds of this species.

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Tricarpellites aciculatus.

(Plate 11, figs. 39 and 40).

Capsule largest a little below the middle, covered with minute aciculated lines running in a longitudinal direction ', length of the valves exceeding twicenbsp;their greatest breadth.

This fruit may readily be distinguished from its congeners by the abundance of aciculated confluent lines which cover thenbsp;whole of its sm'face in a longitudinal direction. The length ofnbsp;the valves in proportion to then greatest breadth, is as forty-sixnbsp;to twenty-one. The placenta is rather more tumid near its basenbsp;than in some of the preceding species, hut in other respects it isnbsp;very similar in form.

I have not been able to obtain any further view of the seeds than that afibrded by a transverse fracture of the pericai’p : theynbsp;appear to be somewhat less compressed than those of Tricarp,nbsp;gracilis. Fig. 39 represents the fruit of its natural size, a beingnbsp;the base; the apex is unfortunately obscm-ed from b upwards bynbsp;a coat of extraneous pyrites. Fig. 40 is a view of the same spe-cunen, magnified to twice the natural size, for the purpose ofnbsp;exhibiting the confluent aciculated lines upon the surface of thenbsp;capsule; a the base of the seed.

This is the oifly finit of the present species that I have seen.

Tricarpellites rugosus.

(Plate 11, figs. 41 — 44).

Capsule covered with irregular, coarse, longitudinal furrows. Seed, testa reticulated.

The marked nigose structure of the epicaip of this fruit readily distinguishes it from all the preceding species. Fig. 43 represents the capside of the natural size ; a being the base. The

84

length of the valves in proportion to their breadth, is as twenty to twelve, and their gi'eatest width is very near the middle.—nbsp;Fig. 44 represents a transverse section of the capsule, showingnbsp;the placenta and the seeds in situ, the section being made at thenbsp;point b, fig. 43. The testa exhibits a beautifully reticulated surface. Fig. 41 is a view of the apex of the fi’uit, and fig. 42 onenbsp;of its base.

The capsiile figured is the only one of the species that I have seen.

WETHERELLIA.

(Plate 12).

Fruit, pericarp three- four- or five-celled, each cell containing a single seed, enclosed within a thin compressed sac, the internal surface of which is pubescent.nbsp;Sac containing the seed surrounded hy pulpy cellular structure, which fills thenbsp;whole of the remaining space in each cell, and which, when the fruit is ripe, isnbsp;divided into two lobes hy the expansion of the seed. Seed pendulous, compressednbsp;sideways, elliptical, nearly three times as long as it is broad, attached to a centralnbsp;placenta hy a short funiculus, which passes off from the smallest end : testa reticulated.

I have named this genus in honour of my friend N. T. Wetherell, Esq., of Highgate, who, for many years, has madenbsp;the London clay the especial object of his study, and to whomnbsp;we are indebted for the knowledge of a considerable number ofnbsp;new and highly interesting species of fossils from that formation.

It is perhaps the most abundant of all the fruits found in the Isle of Sheppey, and is well known throughout the island by thenbsp;name of Coffee, to which some of the sections of the fruit, whennbsp;separated from each other, hear a very strong resemblance. Innbsp;this state it is much more frequently met with than in the morenbsp;perfect form. Figs. 22 to 37 inclusive represent a series of thesenbsp;portions of the fruit, wdiich vary very considerably both in size

85

and form, some of them exceeding an inch in length, while others are very little more than tliree hnes. In some of the figurednbsp;specimens, as in figs. 22 and 30, the seed is completely buriednbsp;within its sac; in others, as in figs. 24, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 34,nbsp;35, and 36, it is more or less exposed to view; and in some instances, as represented in figs. 23, 33, and 37, it has escapednbsp;from the cell. The whole of these fourteen figm’es representnbsp;that surface of the sections of the frait which is nearest the cen-ti’e. Figs. 28 and 29 are views of the outer smface.

The pericarp is smooth and thin, being about the hundredth part of an inch in thickness, and is very rarely found in a goodnbsp;state of preservation. It is divided into two, three, fom', or fivenbsp;sections by as many thin dissepiments, which appear to originatenbsp;in, and to proceed from, the placenta, and which become thinnernbsp;as they recede from it and approach the pericarp, as representednbsp;at a in figs. 3, 8, 13, and 19. Within each of these primarynbsp;cells is a secondaiy cell or sac, situated about midway betweennbsp;the dissepiments forming the sides of the primary cells, as represented at b, figs. 3, 13, and 19; each of these sacs contains anbsp;single seed, as seen at h, figs. 3, 13, and 9. The remainingnbsp;space intervening between the interior surfaces of the dissepi-nients (a, fig. 19) and the sac (b, fig. 19), is filled up with anbsp;coai’se, pulpy, vegetable tissue, a portion of which is representednbsp;by fig. 41, as seen beneath a microscopic power of two hundrednbsp;and twenty-five linear. It often happens that the cells are notnbsp;so angular and regular in their form as those exhibited by thenbsp;figure, but assume the appearance of a loosely-connected pulpynbsp;structure, very like that of the fruit of the orange tribe. Thenbsp;cells are often found either entirely empty, or with a loose ovoidnbsp;mass of carbonaceous matter within them; and the walls frequently exhibit their duplicate stincture, a thin line of carbonaceous matter marking the division between them.

The secondary cells or sacs of the pericarp differ matenally in their structure from the primary dissepiments, the latter beingnbsp;formed of two plates of compressed cellular tissue, after the manner of fmits subject to septicidal deliiscence, having their surfaces

G 3

86

perfectly smooth; while the sacs are composed of a single layer of compressed, very minute, cellnlar tissue, and have their interior surfaces lined with an extremely fine pubescence, the fibresnbsp;of which vary from the eight hundred and eightieth, to the twonbsp;thousandth part of an inch in diameter, and are disposed in thenbsp;direction of lines radiating from the centre of the fruit to its circumference. If one of the sections of the fruit, such as that represented hy fig. 29, be divided longitudinally through the linenbsp;a a, it will he seen that tliis secondary cell or sac is considerablynbsp;larger than the seed contained within it, and that the portion ofnbsp;it which is situated without the marginal line of the hacks of thenbsp;seeds, a a a, figs. 4, 15, and 16, is closely compressed together;nbsp;and in this state it extends to the interior surface of the pericarp,nbsp;dividing the pulpy mass in which it is embedded into two equalnbsp;parts, as represented hy h h, figs. 28 and 29. From the formnbsp;and disposition of these secondary cells or sacs, it is probable thatnbsp;each of them is composed of two valves, like those of the apple;nbsp;but I have not been able to detennine whether this is really thenbsp;case, as I have not, in any instance, obtained them sepai-ate fi-omnbsp;the surrounding pulpy matter, which, in all stages of the fimit,nbsp;appears to adhere strongly to their outer surfaces.

The seeds are compressed, elliptical, and nearly three times as long as they are broad, (figs. 38, 39, and 40). They arenbsp;pendulous, and attached by their apices (a a a) to a central placenta, by a shoit cnrved funiculus, which passes off from an in-crassate portion of the placenta, situated at about one third or onenbsp;fourth of the length of the pericarp from its apex. Figs. 4, 15,nbsp;16, and 20, exhibit the seeds in situ; h indicating the apex ofnbsp;the fi'uit. The funiculus is not apparent in any of the sjDecimensnbsp;figm’ed, but I have obtained a remarkably satisfactory view of itnbsp;in a specimen fi-actured since this plate was engi’aved. The testanbsp;is beautifully reticulated, presenting, beneath a microscopic powernbsp;of eighty linear, minute trapezoidal areas, of the average diameter of the six hundred and fiftieth part of an inch. I have beennbsp;nnable to detect any traces of cotyledons or of an embryo, although I have fractured numerous specimens in search of them.

87

It is a singular circumstance that among seventy-four specimens of this fruit, in which the whole of the sections are present, there is not one in a sufficiently perfect state of preservation tonbsp;allow of our deciding which end is the base and which the apex;nbsp;and it is only by the position of the seeds, and their pendulousnbsp;mode of attachment to the placenta, that we have been enablednbsp;to determine this question.

There are circumstances attending the mode of dehiscence of this fruit, which are very remarkable. The general mode seemsnbsp;to be septicidal, the cells sepai’ating fr'om each other through thenbsp;middle of their common dissepiments, and presenting the appearance of coffee-shaped cocci, each having a single seed within itsnbsp;secondary cell or sac; in this form it is exhibited at figs. 22 tonbsp;37 inclusive. Another mode is by the solution of the apex andnbsp;base of the fruit, and more especially of the latter, by which meansnbsp;the seeds are allowed to escape from their cells. Fig. 1 represents a two-seeded variety of the fruit in the latter state, a a beingnbsp;the bases of the two seeds exposed by the paidial solution of thenbsp;pericarp. The apex of the pericai-p (b) has also lost a portionnbsp;of its substance, hut not nearly so much as the base. Fig. 13nbsp;represents a specimen of the four-seeded variety in a still farthernbsp;advanced state of decomposition : so much of the base of the pericarp having been lost by solution that the seeds (6) project fromnbsp;the sm’rounding cellular tissue. The apex of this fruit also hasnbsp;suffered much from solution, hut not to so great an extent as itsnbsp;base. Fig. 19 represents a perfect five-seeded fruit, in whichnbsp;this mode of dehiscence appears to have been completed, the solution of the base having gone fonvard to such an extent as tonbsp;have consumed about one third of the length of the pericarp, andnbsp;consequently to have allow'ed the whole of the seeds to escape.nbsp;The apex also of this fruit has undergone solution to such an extent as to present five small orifices, evidently occasioned by thenbsp;destruction of the apices of the five sacs which contained thenbsp;seeds.

In these tlu*ee instances of dehiscence by this mode, and in every other analogous case which I have seen, the solution of the

88

base lias been in a gi’eater proportion than that of the apex; so that the comparative state of perfection of the opposite ends ofnbsp;the fruit, when found in this state, afibrds a good approximatenbsp;mode of distinguishing the base of the pericai'p from the apex.—nbsp;Of the seventy-four fruits of this genus in my possession, in whichnbsp;the whole of the sections are present, thirty-eight exhibited evidences of tliis mode of dehiscence.

There is a third mode of dehiscence which is sometimes observed, but which, when compared with the two fonner modes, is of rare occuivence; and this is by a separation of the fruit intonbsp;sections through the sacs containing the seeds, instead of throughnbsp;the primary septa or valves of the pericarp. Fig. 11 representsnbsp;a specimen of the four-seeded variety, in which solution of thenbsp;pulpy cellular structure has taken place immediately over the sacnbsp;containing the seed, which has consequently escaped through thenbsp;orifice a, which also indicates the line of the true dissepiment ofnbsp;the pericarp. The section opposite to that indicated by' a hasnbsp;not undergone solution to so great an extent, and the base of thenbsp;seed is seen at c, projecting a little beyond the partially-dissolvednbsp;cellular structure. At d a very slight degree of solution has takennbsp;place, while at e no action is observable, as neither the base nornbsp;the apex has suffered diminution. Fig. 9 exhibits a three-valvednbsp;fruit. In this specimen both the bases and the apices of the sections are in a good state of preservation; but having been separated from each other to a considerable extent, in consequencenbsp;of the solution before mentioned, the bases of the seeds are exposed, as seen at b b h. Fig. -3 represents a two-seeded specimen, in which this separation in the direction of the seeds hasnbsp;proceeded to a still greater extent, the seeds b b being exposednbsp;for nearly their whole length, and the valves of the fruit adhere tonbsp;each other only where they are connected -with the placenta.—nbsp;The general mass of cellular structm-e near both the base and thenbsp;apex of the fruit, remains in an undecomposed state.

The noi-mal form of these fruits is best represented by figs. 17 and 12, which, in both instances, exliibit a view of the basesnbsp;of the pericai-ps. Fig. 18 exhibits tlie apex of the fruit repre-

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sented by fig. 17; and in this case it appears to be flat, and somewhat discoid. Fig. 12 is the largest specimen I have seen,nbsp;excepting one, which had four seeds, and was thirteen lines innbsp;diameter, and nine in height. As the number of seeds decreasesnbsp;the fruits vaiy to a gi-eater extent from the normal form; thus,nbsp;we find them oviform, as in figs. 9 and 10; with the sectionsnbsp;in-egularly and greatly produced outwards, as in fig. 8, a; flattened or compressed, as in figs. 6 and 7, which are two views ofnbsp;the same fi'uit. In the two-seeded variety a still greater deviation from the noiinal foiTQ may he obseiwed. Of these the compressed fonm, represented by figs. 1 and 3, is perhaps the mostnbsp;common; while the elongated variety, fig. 2, is of but rare oc -curi’errce : one very fine specirnerr hr my possession exceeds fig.nbsp;2 hr length by ahorrt a fine and a half. Occasionally, hirt verynbsp;rarely, we firrd therrr assuming the noranal form. The sectiorrsnbsp;of the fruit, which are found hr such aburrdance hr a state of separation, cannot at all times he referred rvitlr certairrty to eithernbsp;of the described varieties, as they fi-equerrtly differ from each other-in size and proportion, everr in the same fruit.

WetHERELLIA VARIABILIS.

(Plate 12, figs. 1 — 40).

Fruit, when perfect, five-valved and five-seeded, diameter greater than its height, somewhat pomifonn : frequently four- three- or two-seeded hy abortion.

These fririts having heerr sufficierrtly described in the com’se of the enumeratiorr of theh- generic characters, it is unnecessarynbsp;to enter fm-ther upon the subject than to refer the reader to thenbsp;following description of the plate.

Figm-es 1, 2, and 3, specimens of the two-seeded variety.

Figures 4 and 5, a two-seeded variety divided through the plane of the seeds. Fig. 4 exhibits the seeds in situ; fig. 5,nbsp;their impression orr the corresporrdirrg half of the fririts; h the basenbsp;of the pericarp; c c the placerrta.

00

Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, represent specimens of the three-seeded variety.

Figures 11, 12. and 13, fruits of the four-seeded variety.

Figures 14, 15, and 16, a four-seeded fruit separated into three pieces, so as to exhibit the seeds in situ at c c c, and thenbsp;placenta, d d, figs. 15 and 16.

Figures 17, 18, and 19, two four-seeded fruits.

Figures 20 and 21, a five-seeded fruit divided to show the seeds, two of which are seen in situ at a a.

CUCUMITES.

(Plate 13, figs. 1 — 35).

Pepo succulent, one-celled, many-seeded. Seeds ovate, enveloped in a thin membranous arillus.

All the parts of these fruits so closely resemble those of various members of the recent genus Cucumis, both in thefr outward form and their internal strncture, that no reasonable doubt can remain of their being true Cucurbitaceee. The succulentnbsp;one-celled natoe of the fruit, the number and disposition of thenbsp;seeds, and the thin membranous arillus surrounding them, sonbsp;strikingly point out thefr alliance to thefr' recent congeners, as tonbsp;render it unnecessary to enter into a detailed description of theirnbsp;generic characters. I shall therefore refer the reader, who maynbsp;require further information respecting the recent genus Cucumis,nbsp;to DeCandolle’s ‘ Prodromus,’ or to any other modern botanicalnbsp;work which treats of the same subject; and, for an account ofnbsp;the anatomical structure of these plants, I must refer him tonbsp;the following description of the specific characters of Cucuniitesnbsp;variahilis.

91

CüCUMITES VARIABILIS.

(Plate 13, figs. 1 — 34).

Pepo round or somewhat oval: epicarp tuherculated: placental mass many-lobed. Seeds numerous : arillus loose, membranaceous : testa reticulated.

I have in my possession more than seventy fine specimens of this frnit: the smallest is but four lines in length, while thenbsp;largest is thirteen and a half lines long. The normal form appears to be spheroidal, as represented in figs. 19, 23, 24, and 25,nbsp;and in fig. 20, which is a view of a longitudinal section throughnbsp;the axis of the fruit represented by fig. 19. But in consequencenbsp;of the extremely succulent nature of these fruits, and their greatnbsp;liability to compression, they vary from this form in every possible degree, according to the direction of the line in which theynbsp;have been compressed. Thus, the specimen represented by fig. 3,nbsp;is seven lines broad, while its greatest thickness does not exceednbsp;fom- fines ; on the contrary, the fruit represented by figs. 26 andnbsp;27, having been compressed nearly in the direction of its axis, isnbsp;nine fines in breadth and but seven in length. The fruits represented by figs. 14, 15, and 18, have undergone considerablenbsp;compression in a lateral direction, and to this cause they arenbsp;eviden^y indebted for much of their gi'eater proportional length.

When the pericarp is in a good state of preservation, as in the fruits represented by figs. 1; 2, 32, and 33, there are few ornbsp;no traces of the strongly-produced lobes, which are buried beneath its surface. In other cases where the pericarp is well preserved, as in the spechnens represented by figs. 11, 12, and 22,nbsp;there are stronger indications of their presence, probably fiom anbsp;softening of the substance of the pericarp by maceration, previ-ously to its becoming fossilized, and a partial contraction of thenbsp;highly succulent mass beneath, which fills the spaces betweennbsp;the lobes. For although the side of the fruit represented by fig.nbsp;22 presents strong indications of the presence of the lobes, the

opposite side is perfectly round and even, and without the slightest appearance of the existence of the lobes beneath.

The base of the pericarp is not very readily to he distinguished from the apex, the scar left by the calyx being small, inconspicuous, and very rarely visible, while the point of attachment tonbsp;the peduncle is generally indicated only by a slight depressionnbsp;of the surface; sometimes, although rarely, there is a small perforation, as represented at a, fig. 33. In the specimens whichnbsp;have lost the pericarp these points may more readily be distinguished, the base being usually indicated by a small tumidnbsp;mass, as in figs. 21, 23, 25, 26, and 28, while the apex is devoid of such an appendage, as seen in figs. 24, 27, and 29.—nbsp;Another indication of the base is a gi’eater proportional degree ofnbsp;attenuation of the lobes of the interior mass of succulent matternbsp;at their bases, as represented in fig. 23, than is observable atnbsp;their apices, as shown in fig. 24, which exhibits a view of thenbsp;apex of the fruit the base of which is represented by fig. 23.

When the epicai-p is in a perfect state of preservation, it is thickly studded with minute, elongated, warty excrescences, thenbsp;apices of which are shai-ply carinate d, and their greatest lengthnbsp;is in the direction of lines at right angles to the axis of the fruit.nbsp;The specimen represented by fig. 35 exhibits these excrescencesnbsp;to a greater extent than any other that I have seen. In the fruitnbsp;represented by fig. 22, they are thinly scattered over the sidenbsp;opposite to that shown in the plate ; and in the specimens represented by figs. 11, 12, 30, and 31, only very faint indications ofnbsp;them remain.

The sarcocarp varies in thickness according to the size of the finit. At a, in the section represented by fig. 34, it amounts tonbsp;about one third of a line: in the fi-uit represented by figs. 9 andnbsp;10, it is about half a line in thickness immediately over the mostnbsp;prominent part of the lobes beneath, but its thickness is considerably greater above the spaces between the lobes, since it descends into these spaces, and completely fills them up.

When a section of the pericai'p, at right angles to the axis of the fruit, is viewed with a microscopic power of eighty linear.

93

it presents the appearance of an irregular mass of cells; those nearest the epicarp being very much compressed and distorted,nbsp;hut becoming larger and more definite in their form as they approach the endocaiquot;pal membrane.

The whole of the interior of the pericarp is filled with the placentae¹ and seeds. When entirely free from the pericarp thenbsp;mass appears to be divided into lobes or sections, as representednbsp;in figs. 13, 16, 18, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29. Thenbsp;number of lobes presented by sixty-eight fruits is as follows.nbsp;Two were five-lohed, twenty-two six-lobed, twenty-two seven-lohed, fifteen eight-lohed, five niue-lobed, and two ten-lobed.—nbsp;At the base and apex of these lobes, there is firequently an indication of the existence of the dissepiments, as at a, in figs. 1, 2,nbsp;9, 10,19, and 20 ; hut tins is a deceptive appearance, as not thenbsp;slightest vestige of such organs could be detected in any of thenbsp;numerous specimens which I have fractiu'ed at right angles to thenbsp;axis of the fruit in search of them.

The placentation of this fruit is anomalous and exceedingly curious. I have made numerous sections, both in the directionnbsp;of the axis and at right angles to it, hut have been unable to discern its origin or mode of development. Viewed with a microscopic power of thirty-five liirear, the appearance is that of anbsp;spongy mass, hollowed out into numerous irregular cavities, whichnbsp;are filled with highly-succulent cellular structure, the cells beingnbsp;loosely disposed, round or oval in form, and scarcely ever witlinbsp;any appearance of angularity. The substance bounding thesenbsp;cavities is dense in its stracture, and exhibits hut faint traces ofnbsp;organization. The seeds are embedded in the mass without anynbsp;apparent order or arrangement, as represented in fig. 20, whichnbsp;is a view of a longitudinal section through the centre of the fruitnbsp;represented by fig. 19. Fig. 34 also exhibits a longitudinal section of the fruit given in fig. 33; but in this specimen the seedsnbsp;are neither so numerous nor so well developed as in the former one.

1

Presuming them to he three in number, and parietal, in accordance with the recent members of the natural order Cucurbitacew.

94

The seeds ai’e ovate, witli the apex acximinate, (figs. 4, 5, 6, 7). Occasionally, when very fully developed, they approachnbsp;nearly to an ovoid form, hut they usually exhibit a considerablenbsp;degree of compression. They are enveloped in a thin membranous arillus, which, in some cases, exists in the form of a filmynbsp;carbonaceous coat surrounding the seed; under more favourablenbsp;circumstances it is composed of pyrites. When viewed vdth anbsp;microscopic power of one hundi'ed and twenty, it appears to consist of fine reticulated tissue, the reticulations being very muchnbsp;elongated in the du'ection of the axis of the seed, so as to causenbsp;it to assume the appearance of being finely striated in that dh-ec-tion, the striee being the two thousand eight hundred and fifty-sixth part of an inch asunder.

In some specimens the arillus is immediately incumbent on the testa; in others there is a slight space between them, whichnbsp;is filled with bright, semi-crystaUine pyrites. The surface of thenbsp;testa is beautifully reticulated, and when viewed with a microscopic power of one hundred and twenty linear, presents the appearance represented in fig. 8, plate 13. The average diameternbsp;of the reticulations, when measured at right angles to the axis ofnbsp;the seed, was the one thousand four hundred and fortieth part ofnbsp;an inch. Sometimes the areas of the reticulations are depressed,nbsp;as represented by the cells at a, fig. 13 j while in other parts ofnbsp;the same testa they are protuberant, as at h, fig. 13. Tliis depression of the areas appeal's to arise from the absence of thenbsp;cells, theh impression alone remaining. And this was demonstrated to have been the case, in one instance, in a very strikingnbsp;manner, the reticulations and depressed areas being composed ofnbsp;shining yellow pyrites, while the protuberant areas or cells consisted of black, shining, carbonaceous matter, presenting to thenbsp;eye, when viewed with a microscopic power of one hundi'ed andnbsp;twenty linear, the appearance of a beautiful mosaic work, composed of hexagons of polished jet, set in a shining ground of gold-coloured metal. Within the testa we find a nucleus fomied ofnbsp;two cotyledons, which, in well-developed seeds, fill the whole ofnbsp;the interior; but in some instances they do not extend from the

95

base for more than about two thirds of the length of the testa; the inner surfaces of which, for the remaining space, are closelynbsp;pressed together. We occasionally find very flat seeds, presenting every appearance of having been baiTen, the sides of the testanbsp;mutually approaching each other, or one of them cupping inwardsnbsp;until it reaches the internal smface of the opposite side.

Tlie cotyledons are covered with a fine reticulated integument, the interstices of which are four sided, and arranged in a somewhat quincuncial order, or evenly dispersed over the surfaces, not disposed in fines like the cells of the testa, or the reticulations of the arillus. The hilum is situated at a, fig. 4 ; in thenbsp;fully-developed seeds it is nearly round, in those of a compressednbsp;fonn it presents an oval figure. Its circumference assumes thenbsp;form of a double ring, the outer one being the turgid base of thenbsp;arillus, while the inner one is that of the testa. Its diameter, innbsp;a large-sized matm*e seed, including the hase of the ailllus, wasnbsp;the ninety-fifth part of an inch.

In size and form these interesting fruits are so exceedingly variable, that when I first examined them, I was much inclined tonbsp;believe that there would prove to he at least as many as five or sixnbsp;species; but upon a subsequent investigation of the internal structure of the pericai-p, and of the form and structm-e of the seeds,nbsp;and by a comparison of the figm’ed specimens mth a considerable number of others, which I have received since the plate wasnbsp;engi-aved, I am induced to he of opinion that the variations innbsp;size and form do not amount to specific distinctions, and especially as the greater number of the fruits which I have seen, arenbsp;deprived of the pericaiq). I have therefore divided them into thenbsp;following varieties.

Variety K.-—Placental massJive-lohed.

Figm-e 1 represents a fruit which has lost its epicarpal membrane, but which has the sarcocarp in a nearly perfect state of preservation : a, the apex of the fruit.

Figure 2 is a view of the contrary side of the same fi’uit: a, the base.

96

Figure 3, a second specimen with five lobes, much compress-in a lateral direction: a, the base of the pericai’p; h, a mass of extraneous pyrites.

Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, seeds separated fi'om the placental mass, and representing the varieties in size and form which frequentlynbsp;occirr in the same fruit: a, fig. 4, is the base of the seed.

Figure 7 represents a seed, appai'ently abortive, one side of the testa having cupped inwards at a, so as nearly to approachnbsp;its opposite side.

Figure 8 is a view of the testa, as seen with a microscopic power of one hundred and twenty linear : a, a part with the areasnbsp;of the reticulations depressed, h, with the areas protuberant.

Variety B.—Placental mass six-lohed.

Figures 9 and 10, two views of a fruit which has lost the greater part of the pericarp, hut in which the epicarp is ohscmrednbsp;by a thin coat of extraneous pyrites..

Figures 11 and 12, two views of a fruit which has the pericarp nearly perfect; a, the base; h, the apex; c, seeds projecting through apertures in the pericarp.

Figm’e 13, a smaller specimen of the same variety, in which the pericarp is entirely wanting : a, tlie base, b, a small patch ofnbsp;extraneous pyrites.

Variety C.—Placental mass seven-lobed.

Figures 14 and 15, two views of a fruit wliich has been compressed in a lateral direction, and has lost a considerable portion of its pericarp : a, the base, h, the apex.

Figure 16, a smaller specimen of the same variety, which has entirely lost the pericarp : a, the apex of the fruit; h, a patch ofnbsp;extraneous pyrites.

Figure 17, a specimen upon which a portion of the pericarp remains, hut which has the epicarp obscured by a thin coat ofnbsp;extraneous pyrites: h, the apex of the fruit.

Figure 18, a small specimen which has suffered much by com-

97

pression in a lateral direction: a, the base of the fruit; h, a seed embedded in the placental mass.

Variety D.—Placental mass eight-lobed.

Figure 19, a fruit which has lost the epicarp, but which has nearly the whole of the sarcocarp remaining. The upper portion of the figure exhibits the apex, with the fallacious appearancenbsp;of dissepiments.

Figure 20, a longitudinal section through the centre of the fruit represented in fig. 19, exhibiting the mode in which thenbsp;seeds are embedded in the pulpy placental mass.

Figm-e 21, a fruit which has lost the whole of its pericarp: a, the base, exhibiting the attenuation of the bases of the pulpynbsp;lobes of the placental mass, which causes the fallacious appearance of dissepiments in some specimens.

Figm-e 22, a fruit which has the pericarp in a very perfect state of preservation; a, the apex of the fruit b h b, minute,nbsp;elongated, warty excrescences which are found upon the epicarpnbsp;when in a perfect state of preservation; c c c, patches of extraneous pyrites.

Variety E.—Placental mass nine-lobed.

Figm-es 23 and 24, two views of a fruit wlfich has lost the whole of its pericai-p. Fig. 23 exhibits the base, and fig. 24 thenbsp;apex of the trait.

Figure 25 presents a view of the base of a small specimen of the same variety winch has lost its pericarp : a a, seeds embedded in the placental mass.

Figures 26 and 27, two views of a fi-uit which has lost its pericarp, and winch has been compressed in the direction of itsnbsp;axis: a, the base, b, the apex.

Variety F.—Placental mass ten-lobed.

Figmes 28 and 29, two views of a fi-uit which has lost its pericarp: a, the base, b, the apex.

Figures 30 and 31, two views of a small specimen of the same

H

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variety, which has lost hut a small portion of the pericarp : a the apex, h, the base of the fruit.

Figure 32 represents a fruit of the variety D, which has lost its epicarp, hut wliich has the sarcocai-p in a remarkably finenbsp;state of preservation : a, the base of the truit.

Figure 33 is a view of a fruit which has lost the epicarp, hut which has the sarcocai’p in a very fine state of preseiwation: a,nbsp;the base of the fruit.

Figm'e 34, a longitudinal section through the centre of the fi'uit represented in fig. 33, exhibiting the seeds embedded innbsp;the placental mass; h, the base of the pericarp.

Fignre 35 represents a very beantiful little fruit of the variety B, which has a portion of its pericarp in an unusually fine state of preservation, and which exhibits the minute, elongated,nbsp;warty excrescences of the epicarp in a very distinct manner: a,nbsp;the apex of the fruit; h, the base, with a small poidion of thenbsp;stalk remaining attached to it.

FABOIDEA.

(Plates 14, 15, and 16).

Seeds bean-shaped; testa coriaceous : nucleus covered with minute punctae, and furnished with a funiculus passing beneath the testa, round the end of thenbsp;seed, to a point nearly opposite to that where it had its origin, at which place itnbsp;emerges from beneath the testa. Embryo central, anatropous, the radicle occupying the end of the seed round which the funiculus passes.

In external form these singular seeds very closely resemble several species of our common garden beans, such as Faha sativanbsp;and Phaseolus vulgaris and multijiorus; hut in other respectsnbsp;they differ trom every true leg-uminous seed that I have hithertonbsp;seen. The form most frequently to he observed is that of thenbsp;seed of the common scarlet runner of the gardens (^Phaseolusnbsp;multijiorus'), with slight variations, such as are represented innbsp;plates 15 and 16.

The testa closely envelopes the seed, and is, in some species.

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as much as a line in thickness, but does not usually exceed about half a line. Fig. 5 plate 14 represents one of these seeds, withnbsp;the testa in a good state of preseiwation; figs. 6 and 7 exhibitnbsp;the same seed cleft in a longitudinal direction, a a being the testa, and b b the two halves of the nucleus. Fig. 8 represents thenbsp;same half of the seed as fig. 7, hut from which the fi'actured halfnbsp;of the nucleus represented by fig. 9 has been removed, so as tonbsp;exhibit the internal surface of the testa, which is smooth, andnbsp;without any impression from the surface of the nucleus. Whennbsp;the testa is fractured in the direction of a line either parallel, ornbsp;at right angles, to the axis of the seed, it presents the appearance of numerous circular and oval areas, of the average diameter of the four hundredth part of an inch, thickly dispersed amidnbsp;a mass of small irregular cells, as represented at b, fig. 3, platenbsp;14, a being a small portion of the nucleus to which the testa isnbsp;attached. The fine reticulated lines represented within these circular and oval areas, have theft origin in the crystalline fonn ofnbsp;the pyrites, and are not any portion of the original organic struc-tm-e of the part. The testa is very rarely found perfect, as innbsp;fig. 5, plate 14; and is frequently entirely wanting, as in figs.nbsp;18 to 25, plate 16. Occasionally a portion only remains, as represented in fig. 10, plate 16, and figs. 10,13, and 33, plate 15.

The nucleus is closely embraced by the testa, and when separated from it, presents a singularly close resemblance to the united cotyledons of some species of legmninous seeds when deprived of their testa, excepting that we do not, in any case, findnbsp;even the slightest indication of an embryo, in the same relativenbsp;situation we should expect to find it in, were the seed one belonging to the true Leguminoste. The surface of the nucleus in thenbsp;fossil, is also widely different from that of the cotyledons of anynbsp;leguminous seed that I have yet seen, being fm-nished with numerous depressed circular areas, from the centre of each of whichnbsp;projects a sHghtly-elevated cylindrical body, as represented atnbsp;fig. 2, plate 14, with a microscopic power of two hundred andnbsp;twenty-five linear. Upon making a transverse section of thenbsp;nucleus, and viewing it with the same microscopic power, it ap-

100

pears as represented at a a, fig. 4, plate 14, proving that these circular ai'eas are the mouths of pits or sacs, which penetrate thenbsp;nucleus to a considerable depth: the cylindiical bodies projecting from the areas, as represented in fig. 2, plate 14, and at a a,nbsp;fig. 4, plate 14, being merely masses of pyrites with which theynbsp;have been filled up on becoming fossilized. The mouths of thenbsp;sacs vary from the six hundred and twenty-fifth to the eight hundred and thirtieth part of an inch in diameter, and their depth isnbsp;upon an average, the three hundred and sixty-fourth part of annbsp;inch. They are occasionally much more numerous than in thenbsp;specimen represented by fig. 2, plate 14 ; and in one specimennbsp;examined they were only the one thousand six hunch’ed and sixty-sixth part of an inch apart, or about half of one of their ownnbsp;diameters. The mass of the nucleus is composed of minute, compressed, cellular' tissue, as represented at a, fig. 3, and h, fig. 4,nbsp;and also at a, fig. 2, plate 14; where it gives to the whole surface of the nucleus a beautifully reticulated appeai'ance.

Upon examining that part of the seed where we should expect to find the hilum in a leguminous fruit, we discover none of the usual appearances which indicate the poirrt of attachment tonbsp;the placenta; but in their stead we generally find a slightly-trr-rnid projectiorr, as at a, fig. 5, plate 14. On carefully removingnbsp;the testa, this projection is found to be the point of insertion of anbsp;singular furriculus, which, having its origin at this spot, as represented at a, fig. 12, plate 14, passes round the end of the nucleus beneath the testa, and emerges from it at about the pointnbsp;b, fig. 12, plate 14. Fig. 13 in the same plate is a view of thenbsp;internal sm-face of the half of the testa removed from the seed represented by fig. 12, showing the impression of the funiculusnbsp;fi'om its inser'tiorr, a, to the spot b, at which point it passes out ofnbsp;the testa. Fig. 11, plate 14, is a view of the same seed, in thenbsp;direction of a right angle to the positiorr of fig. 12. Fig. 10 is anbsp;view of the edge of the seed contrary to that represented by fig.nbsp;11, and before it had been deprived of any pai't of its testa.

This mode of attachment of the seed to the placenta is exceedingly singular; and I am not aware of any irrstarrce among

101

recent plants in which the funiculus umhilicalis passes in a similar manner beneath the testa, before it emerges fi'om the seed, thus removing the hilum from its usual position as regards thenbsp;placenta, into precisely the opposite situation to that in whichnbsp;we should naturally expect to find it.¹

Upon making a transverse section of the funiculus, and viewing it with a microscopic power of two hundred and twenty-five linear, it presented the appearance represented by fig. 1, platenbsp;14, and appeared to be fonned of three distinct layers; the innernbsp;one consisting of indistinct and irregidar cells, with layers of apparently vascular tissue radiating from the centre; the outer one ofnbsp;an indistinct mass of what appeared to be principally, if not entirely, cellulai’ structure; and the intermediate layer of a mixturenbsp;of vascular and cellular tissue, portions of which appeared to radiate fr m, and to peneti'ate into, the substance of the sun’ound-ing outer layers. A longitudinal section of a small piece of anbsp;funiculus presented some distinct portions of annular or spiralnbsp;vessels, apparently belonging to the central layer ; hut the frac-tm-e was so in-egular as not to allow of their position being determined with certaity.

Upon examining, for the sake of comparison with the fossil funiculus, a transverse section of the funiculus of the seed of anbsp;recent Acacia from New Holland, I found the centre of it to benbsp;composed of numerous large vessels, with a single, thick, outernbsp;layer of cellular tissue. The spurious furriculus of the hasel-nut,nbsp;when examined with the same power and in a similar manner,nbsp;was found to he composed of a central mass, consisting of numerous spiral vessels, with an outer coat of cellular tissue, in whichnbsp;I could not detect more than one layer.

In some of the species of Faboidea, the funicirlus attains to nearly a line in diameter; while, in others, it is not more thannbsp;about half that size. Fig. 14 plate 14 represents half of a seed

1

In the seeds of several species of Acacia, and others among the Leguminosie, and in Arabis Turrita, and many other cruciferous plants, we have good examplesnbsp;of the funiculus umhilicalis, hut in these cases it passes off immediately from the hilum to the pericarp.

H 3

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wliich was fi’acturecl in a longitudinal direction tlirough its broadest surface. It is the only one out of nearly three dozen, fractured in that and in other directions, in which any satisfactory indication of an emhryo could he detected : and in this case it appearsnbsp;to be developed to perhaps its gi’eatest extent, and to have absorbed nearly the whole of the surrounding nucleus, and occupiesnbsp;the greater part of the interior of the seed. It is situated in thenbsp;centre of the seed, and appears to be anatropous. The largernbsp;extremity of the embryo nearly fills that end of the seed whichnbsp;is without the funiculus, while the smaller and more attenuatednbsp;portion, which I believe to be the radicle, occupies the end aroundnbsp;which the funiculus passes. The larger paid of the embryo, a,nbsp;fig. 14, plate 14, has separated freely from the portion of the nucleus in which it was embedded, and when viewed with a microscopic power of one hundred and twenty hnear, was found to henbsp;enveloped in a beautiful reticulated tissue, forming minute ti’ape-zifoim areas, of the average size of the two thousand three hun-di’ed and thirty-thkd part of an inch in diameter.

The plumula assumes a nearly globular form, as it narrows considerably towards its junction with the radicle, at wliich partnbsp;a deep groove has its origin (at d), and passes upwards as far asnbsp;we can trace it, to the point c, and is most probably continuednbsp;over the crown of the emhryo to the opposite part at d. Thisnbsp;groove does not penetrate deeply into the plumula, as the finenbsp;reticulated tissue which surrounds that part can he traced, by thenbsp;microscope, in such a manner as to prove that it merely followsnbsp;the undnlations of the surface, and does not terminate in thenbsp;groove, hut passing over its deepest parts, it returns to the surface. From the situation and appearnce of this groove, it is probable that the embryo is dicotyledonous. Fig. 13 representsnbsp;another fruit, cleft in the same direction as fig. 14, hut in thisnbsp;the fi’acture has passed through the centre of the emhryo. Thisnbsp;specimen does not appear to have been so fully developed as thenbsp;one represented by fig. 14. The half of the seed opposite to thatnbsp;represented by fig. 13, was carefully fractured in snch a mannernbsp;as to separate the half of the emhryo fi’om that portion of the nu-

103

deus in wliicli it was embedded. When thus separated, it presented a very iiTegular rugose surface, with no distinction between the plumule and the radicle, and not the slightest remains of thenbsp;beautiful reticulated tissue that was found enveloping the specimen represented by fig. 14.

In a third specimen in wlfich traces of the embryo were found, it was much less developed than in the fruit represented at fig.nbsp;15 plate 14. In this specimen also it was situated in the centrenbsp;of the seed, and did not occupy more than about one tliird of itsnbsp;length; but in the present case a small piece of the reticulatednbsp;tissue of the embryo was observed. In the longitudinal section,nbsp;figs. 6 and 7, plate 14, at the point indicated by c, there is anbsp;cmwed line in each of the two halves of the nucleus, exactly innbsp;the situation where we should expect to find the raphe. Tins,nbsp;when examined with a microscopic power of one hundred andnbsp;twenty linear, was found to be an open fissm’e or groove, until itnbsp;reached a point (c, fig. 6) very near to tlie insertion of the funiculus, whence it Avas continued onwards towards the insertion ofnbsp;the funiculus at a, by a cmwed line of a darker and coarser material ; but neither in this curved line, nor in any part of the opennbsp;gi'oove of the larger curve, could any remains of vascular- tissuenbsp;be detected: so that although the size and direction of the line,nbsp;added to the position of the embryo, as shown in fig. 14, wouldnbsp;seem to indicate it to be the remains of the raphe, yet from thenbsp;total absence of orgaific structure, we must content om-selvesnbsp;with the hope that futm-e investigation may lead to a more certainnbsp;knowledge of this part of the fruit. In another specimen Avhichnbsp;I examined in seai-ch of the raphe, I found faint indications of anbsp;cm-ved line similar to that represented at c c, figs. 6 and 7; butnbsp;in the remainder of the fruits examined no traces of it Avere to benbsp;observed.

The whole of the species represented in plates 15 and 16, ai-e figm-ed Arith that end of the fruit round which the funiculusnbsp;passes, uppermost, as it is most probable that such was their position when attached to the placenta. The position of the seed,nbsp;therefore, as regards the embryo, is reversed, the plumula being

104

situated at the end opposite to that around which the funiculus passes.

These seeds, like tiiose of the true Legiiminos^, bear so strong a resemblance to each other, that it is extremely difficult to decide which of them possess a just claim to be considered distinctnbsp;species; and it is only by having been in possession of a verynbsp;considerable munber of some of the species, that I have satisfiednbsp;myself of the justness of their title to be considered distinct fi’omnbsp;each other. Let any one attempt to divide into species a considerable number of mixed leguminous seeds, of genera nearly allied to each other, and each consisting of numerous species, andnbsp;in doing this let him reject the aid afforded by colom',— and henbsp;will be able to form a tolerably just conception of the difficultiesnbsp;surrounding the task of aivanging such a group as that composednbsp;of the fossils now under consideration.

Faboidea longiuscuea.

(Plate 15, figs. 1 and 2).

Seed sideway.s elliptical, edgeways slightly ovate, nearly twice as long as it is deep from front to back, and more than twice as long as it is thick: testa smooth.

This seed is much longer, in proportion to its depth and thickness, than any of the following species. With the side towards the eye, the outhne presents the form of a nearly regularnbsp;ellipse; but when the back (as in fig. 2) or the face of the seednbsp;is presented to the eye, there is a slight contraction towards thenbsp;middle, which gives it an elongated ovate form. The surface ofnbsp;the testa is unfortunately somewhat obscm-ed by patches and veinsnbsp;of extraneous pyrites, as at a a, figs. 1 and 2; but in other respects it presents a smooth and uniform sm'face. The funiculusnbsp;is deeply buried beneath the testa for about the first two thii'dsnbsp;of its length, after which it rises to the surface and emerges, asnbsp;represented at b b, figs. 1 and 2.

105

Figure 1 is a side view of the seed; c the face. Fig. 2 represents the back of the seed, with the funiculus emerging from the testa at b.

The one tigm'ed is the only specimen I have met with.

Faboidea crassa.

(Plate 15, figs. 3—5).

Seed sideways and edgeways obtusely elliptical; tbickness from front to back nearly equal to its length : testa thick, surface smooth.

The length of this seed is ten and a half Hnes, its depth from fi'ont to back eight and a half lines j presented to the eye eithernbsp;sideways or edgeways, its outline is in a greater or less degreenbsp;of an obtusely elliptical form. Fig. 3 represents one of the sidesnbsp;of the seed, a being the face, and h the funiculus emerging fromnbsp;beneath Üie testa. The end of the funiculus is obscured, at c,nbsp;by a patch of extraneous pyrites, which spreads over a gi'eatnbsp;portion of both sides of the testa, as represented at c, figs. 3 andnbsp;4, but which is very tlfin at cc, fig. 4, while its edges are ofnbsp;considerable thickness, as at c, fig. 3. Fig. 4 is a view of thenbsp;seed with its face towards the eye, and somewhat foreshortened, tonbsp;present a better view of the funiculus as it emerges from beneathnbsp;the testa. A slight partial solution of the testa has taken placenbsp;in the direction of a line encircling the seed, and passing throughnbsp;its back and front, which has had the efiect of producing a sharpnbsp;projecting fine, commencing at a spot opposite the hilum, andnbsp;passing to a short distance beyond d, whei’e it terminates. Thisnbsp;shai-p fine is not, as might be supposed, a portion of the edge ofnbsp;the nucleus projecting through the partially-dissolved testa, asnbsp;may readily be perceived by referring to the longitudinal sectionnbsp;of the same seed represented by fig. 5, in which the testa is seennbsp;to be of considerable thickness, at the same part of the seed innbsp;fig. 4.

106

The surface of the testa, where not covered by extraneous pyrites, is smooth, and without any indications of hnes or furrows.nbsp;Fig. 5 represents a longitudinal section of the same seed throughnbsp;its centre, in the direction of a line from front to hack. The nucleus had undergone decay, and its interior was partially hoUownbsp;and lined with granular pyrites: a is the face of the seed; b anbsp;small portion of the funiculus exhibited by the fracture.

I have met with one other specimen of this seed. It is somewhat compressed and distorted, but in all the essential characters agi-ees exceedingly well Avith the one fignired.

Faboidea crassicutis.

(Plate 15, figs. 6—8).

Seed sideways elliptical, edgeways ovate; depth from front to hack, in proportion to the length, as three to four; thickness very little more than half the length : testa very thick, and furnished with hroad and deep furrows passing acrossnbsp;each side from front to back, and which curve towards the apex of the seed.

This species is the largest of the whole group : its dimensions are,—length, twelve lines, depth, nine lines, and thickness, seven lines. Fig. 6 presents a view of one of the sides of the seed,nbsp;upon which we see a series of hroad, iivegular, cmwed lines, passing from the front to the hack of the seed, and dipping towardsnbsp;the end, a. These lines differ in number, depth, and mode ofnbsp;disposition on the two sides of the seed, and seem principally tonbsp;terminate in two points, the one being the place of the hilum andnbsp;the other the point immediately opposite to it, as represented atnbsp;b and c, fig. 6, the former indicating the face of the seed. Fig.nbsp;8 represents the face of the seed, from which we see the curvednbsp;lines radiating over each of its sides. At the spot immediatelynbsp;over the attachment of the funiculus there is a singular, depressed, circular’ area, which very much resembles a true hilum, butnbsp;for which, there is much reason to believe, the seed is indebtednbsp;only to accidental ch’cumstances: the interior of this area is filled

107

up with extraneous pyrites, the face of which presents a fractured surface. Upon attempting to make a longitudinal fracture of this seed, through the centre of the circular area, I fortunatelynbsp;succeeded in detaching a portion of the testa, about seven hnesnbsp;in length and five in breadth, and found the commencement ofnbsp;the funiculus immediately beneath that spot, more than usuallynbsp;enlarged, so much so, indeed, as almost to cause it to approachnbsp;the external surface of the testa. This enlargement of the funiculus did not extend for more than about one and a half line innbsp;length •, after which it was seen pursuing its usual course, withnbsp;more than a fine in thickness of the testa above it, and did notnbsp;again approach the surface until it finally emerged from it at thenbsp;point a on the opposite side of the seed, as represented in fig. 7,nbsp;a. The testa was full a line and a half in thickness, both in thenbsp;specimen figured, and in an imperfect one winch I have in mynbsp;possession.

Faboidea planodorsa.

(Plate 15, figs. 9 and 10).

Seed edgeways elliptical, sideways reniform: testa smooth, with shallow, dichotomous lines, radiating from the hack of the seed. Funiculus thin.

I have had hut three of this species in my possession; the whole of these agreed in size and form with each other, havingnbsp;the hack, a, fig. 10, nearly straight, while the front, h, fig. 10,nbsp;was considerably curved. The radiating dichotomous lines werenbsp;most distinct in the spechnen represented figs. 9 and 10 3 in onenbsp;of the others they were somewhat less distinct, and in the thirdnbsp;specimen they were not to he traced on account of the partialnbsp;decomposition of the testa.

The funiculus was present in two of the three specimens, and appeared to he less in diameter in proportion to the size ofnbsp;the seed than is usually the case in fruits of this group. Figure 9nbsp;is a view of the hack of the seed, with the funiculus, a, emergingnbsp;from beneath the testa.

108

Faboidea symmetrica.

(Plate 15, figs. 11—13).

Seed sideways and edgeways elliptical: testa smooth, thick at the base and thin at the apex of the seed. Insertion of the funiculus nearer to the base thannbsp;to the apex.

This seed is not a very uncommon species, but the one figured is the best I have seen. It differs fi'om Fab. crassa in being;nbsp;longer in proportion, not only to its depth fi’om back to front, hutnbsp;also to its tliickness, and in being less obtusely tenninated thannbsp;that species, and it is altogether more symmetrical in its form.

The upper half of the nucleus is somewhat lai-ger than the lower or funicular one, but this inequality is counterbalanced innbsp;the perfect seed, by a greater degree of thickness in the lowernbsp;half of the testa than in the upper portion, which thus rendersnbsp;the unequal proportion of the nucleus imperceptible while surrounded by the testa. The surface of the testa is smooth.

Fig. 11 is a view of one of the sides of tliis seed, with a part of the testa broken away, and exposing to view a portion ofnbsp;the nucleus. Fig. 12 represents the front of the seed, exhibitingnbsp;a partial solution of the testa from the end, a, to about a line andnbsp;a half beyond the point of insertion of the funiculus, by whichnbsp;means the front edge of the nucleus is exposed to view. Fig. 13nbsp;exliibits the back of the seed, with a large portion of the testanbsp;broken away, thus exposing the back edge of the nucleus, thenbsp;indentation a being the commencement of the line of the partialnbsp;solution of the testa so prominently displayed in fig. 12) bbh,nbsp;figs. 12 and 13, ai’e patches of extraneous pyrites.

Faboidea plana.

(Plate 15, figs. 14 and 15).

Seed sideways obtusely ovate, broadest at the base, edgeways elliptical: testa suiooth.

Tliis is the only specimen I have met with of this singular

109

species, which is i’eadüy distinguished from all others by the obtuseness and great depth from the front to the hack of its end a, fig. 14; b, the funiculus emerging from beneath the testa.nbsp;Fig, 15 is a view of the hack of the seed j a the point of thenbsp;frmicuhis, b an excavation produced by the partial solution ofnbsp;the testa.

Faboidea marginata.

(Plate 15, figs. 16—19).

Seed sideways elliptical, edgeways elliptical with a slight contraction at about the middle of each side, edge of the seed more or less produced in the form of anbsp;raised marginal ring, passing through its face and hack: testa smooth and thin.

Tlie specimen represented by figs. 16, 17, and 18, is the most perfect of three which I have in my possession, hut unfortunately has nearly the whole of its surface defaced, by a verynbsp;thin frothy incrustation of pyrites, but which does not materiallynbsp;interfere with, or alter its proportions. Fig. 16 is a view of onenbsp;of the sides of the specimen, a being the face of the seed, andnbsp;also indicating the spot at which the funiculus commences, andnbsp;fi’om which it passes beneath the thin testa, raising it in the fonnnbsp;of a thick prominent ridge, as at c, and finally emerging from itnbsp;at the point indicated by b. Fig. 17 represents the face of thenbsp;seed, a being the prominent ridge produced by the passage ofnbsp;the funiculus beneath, and b the produced marginal line, verynbsp;prominent towards the insertion of the funiculus, and graduallynbsp;becoming attenuated as it approaches the apex of the seed.—nbsp;Fig. 18 is a view of the hack of the seed; a representing thenbsp;front of the funiculus as it emerges from beneath the testa, andnbsp;b the marginal line extending from one end to the other of thenbsp;seed. Fig. 19 represents a second specimen of this species, innbsp;which the testa is not so perfect as in the first, but Avhich hasnbsp;not its sm-face so much obscured by extraneous pyrites. Thenbsp;sm-face in this specimen appears smooth and even, as it also doesnbsp;in a tliird in my possession.

no

This specimen does not exhibit the marginal line so prominent in the foiTner one, and it has undergone, to a very considerable extent, that partial solution which so frequently commences at this part of the seed : a is the face of the seed, andnbsp;the spot at which the funiculus commences; b the spot at wliichnbsp;it emerges from the testa. The third specimen in my possessionnbsp;agrees with the two former ones both in form and in the degi’eenbsp;of thickness of the testa, but has not the marginal line quite sonbsp;much produced as in the one first described.

Faboidea semicurvilinearis.

(Plate 15, figs. 20—22).

Seed sideways ovate, with two curved lines originating at about the middle of the hack of the seed, passing on each side over about half its width, and dipping towards the larger end of the seed; edgeways ovate: testa thick, surfacenbsp;smooth but irregular.

This is by no means a rare species. I have as many as ten fine specimens in my possession, besides many others not in sonbsp;good a state of preservation. The whole of these, with verynbsp;trifling variations, exhibit the same marked characters both ofnbsp;form and striation as the specimen figured. Fig. 20 is a viewnbsp;of one of the sides of the seed which presents us with an ovatenbsp;outline, somewhat obtuse at the smallest end; a the funiculusnbsp;emerging fi'om beneath the testa, h a portion of the nucleus exposed by a partial solution of the testa, and c the back of thenbsp;seed, and the spot from which the curved lines originate, one ofnbsp;which is seen passing more than half way across the seed, andnbsp;dipping towards its larger end. Fig. 21 represents the face ofnbsp;the same seed, with the spot immediately above the attachmentnbsp;of the funiculus marked by two prominent caruncula?, but wdiichnbsp;do not furnish a specific character, as I have not observed themnbsp;to occur, excepting in one other specimen out of many I havenbsp;received since the plate was engraved; a is a portion of the funiculus emerging fi'om beneath the testa. Fig. 22 is a view of

Ill

tlie back of tlie same seed; a is part of tlie nucleus exposed by tbe partial solution of tlie testa, h h tbe two curved lines originating at about tbe middle of the back of the seed. The cmwednbsp;lines which form so prominent a character in this species, varynbsp;considerably in their structure, sometimes appearing upon thenbsp;surface of the testa ( as in figs. 20 and 22) in the form of anbsp;slightly-indented line, while in other specimens they project considerably above the surface; but upon examining the nucleus ofnbsp;several specimens winch were divested of the testa, they werenbsp;always found to exist in the foiTU of raised lines, more or lessnbsp;strongly produced. Upon making sections both of the testa andnbsp;of the nucleus of a specimen in wliich these fines projected in anbsp;more than ordinary degree, I could not discover, in either case,nbsp;any organic difference in the structure of the seed wliich couldnbsp;account for their existence.

Faboidea larga. (Plate 15, figs. 23 and 24).

Seed sideways elliptical, somewhat obtuse, edgeways ovate : testa thick, surface smooth. Funiculus large, inserted nearer to the radicular than to the plumu-lar end of the seed. Kucleus thin, broad, and sharp-edged.

I have three specimens of tliis truit besides the one figured, two of which are of the same size, and the tim'd a trillingnbsp;degree smaller •, the whole of them agree in form, proportions,nbsp;and other essential characters, with the specimen figured.

Fig. 23 is a view of one of the sides of the seed; a part of the funiculus, h the testa, with a large patch of extraneous pyritesnbsp;upon it, and c the apex of the nucleus. Fig. 24 represents thenbsp;face of the same seed j a the funiculus, h the testa, and c thenbsp;nucleus. The patch of pyrites existing upon the testa, as represented in fig. 23, has been omitted in fig. 24, that an idea of thenbsp;general form of the outline of the fruit might he given j it is also

112

somewhat thicker in proportion to its size than the unfigured specimens in my possession.

Faboidea complanata.

(Plate 15, figs, 25—27).

Seed somewhat compressed in a lateral direction; sideways, oblong; edgeways ovate. Insertion of the funiculus nearer to the radicular than to the plumu-lar end of the seed: testa, surface smooth.

This species is not so long in proportion to its depth as Fab. larga, nor is the nucleus so sharply produced at its edge. Fig.nbsp;25 presents us with a side view of the seed, with the surface ofnbsp;the testa obscured by a thin, fi'othy incrustation of pyrites. Thenbsp;upper portion of the figure, or funicular end of the seed, does notnbsp;afford so correct an outline as the lower portion, in consequencenbsp;of the testa, at the funicular end, having undergone a solution ofnbsp;that part of its substance which covered the funiculus. In othernbsp;specimens of the seed in my possession, the funicular end resembles the other in its form, instead of presenting the sudden contraction observable in fig. 25. Fig. 26 represents the face of thenbsp;seed, with the funicidus (a) uncovered by the testa, and passingnbsp;round the end of the nucleus. The edge of the nucleus, immediately in the neighhom’hood of the insertion of the funiculus, isnbsp;somewhat produced in the form of a thickened marginal line, butnbsp;it loses that form as it approaches the end of the seed. Fig. 27nbsp;is a view of the side of the seed contrary to that represented bynbsp;fig. 25, and exhibits the funicidus (a) passing round the end ofnbsp;the nucleus, to the part at which it usually emerges from beneathnbsp;the testa.

113

Faboidea subdisca.

(Plate 15, figs. 28—30).

Seed sideways orbicular, edgeways oblong, compressed : testa smooth, sertion of the funiculus at about the middle of the face of the seed.

The strongly-compressed form and the orbicular outUne presented by this species, when viewed sideways, render it verynbsp;easily distinguisbable from any other; and these characters arenbsp;equally well displayed in three other specimens in my possession, one of which is a little larger than the figured one, whilenbsp;another is not more than about two thfrds of its size.

Tlie testa of the figured specimen has suffered much by the solution of its substance, especially in the direction of the hue ofnbsp;the edge of the nucleus, by which means the outline of the funicular end of the seed is rendered less obtuse than it should be innbsp;fig. 28, and more so than it really is in fig. 29. In one of thenbsp;unfigured specimens in my possession, the testa is perfect atnbsp;the funicular end of the seed, and a slight degree of depression exists, which causes that end to be a little more obtusenbsp;than the opposite one when viewed in the same position as fig.nbsp;29. Fig. 28 is a view of the side of the seed upon which thenbsp;testa is in the best state of preservation: a the face of the seed,nbsp;h a portion of the funiculus. Fig. 29 represents the face of thenbsp;seed with the funicidus (a) exposed to view by the partial solution of the testa; h a portion of the nucleus. Fig. 30 exhibits anbsp;view of the side of the seed contrary to that represented by fig.nbsp;28: a the face and insertion of the funiculus, b a part of thenbsp;nucleus.

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Faboidea oblonga.

(Plate 15, figs. 31—33).

Seed sideways oblong, obtuse, edgeways oblong: testa thick, surface smooth. Insertion of the funiculus at about the middle of the face of the seed.

The symmetrical ohlong form of this fruit when viewed both sideways and edgeways, and its great thickness in proportion tonbsp;its length, serve well to distinguish it from its congeners. Fig.nbsp;31 is a side view of an exceedingly perfect specimen ; a is thenbsp;face of the seed, and b the funiculus emerghig from beneath thenbsp;testa. Fig. 32 represents the face of the same specimen withnbsp;the funiculus exposed to view by the partial solution of that partnbsp;of the testa which was immediately above it, and wliich, in thisnbsp;instance, must have been extremely thin at that part.

The bifurcated insertion of the funiculus is very prominently displayed in this seed, but forms no specific character, as in fivenbsp;other well-preserved specimens of the same species it could notnbsp;be distinguished. Fig. 33 represents another seed of this species, in which, by a fracture of the testa, a considerable portionnbsp;of the nucleus is exposed: a, the face of the seed •, b, the nucleus ; c, the funiculus emerging from beneath the testa. Innbsp;this specimen the funiculus is considerably larger than in anynbsp;other of the same species in my possession, the size in the greater number of the specimens being similar to that represented innbsp;fig. 32.

This is not an uncommon species. I have six well-preserved specimens in my possession, which closely resemble each othernbsp;in all thefr essential chai’acters, excepting one, which differs onlynbsp;in being somewhat thicker in proportion to its length and breadthnbsp;than fig. 32.

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Faboidea ovata.

(Plate 16, figs. 1, 2, 3).

Seed sideways oblong, obtuse, edgeways ovate : testa smooth. Insertion of the funiculus at the middle of the face of the seed.

Tlie great depth of this species, from the face to the hack of the seed, which is nearly equal to its length, and the regularnbsp;ovate outhne wliich it presents when viewed edgeways, causesnbsp;it to he readily distinguished from those to which it approachesnbsp;nearest in form.

Fig, 1 is a side view of the seed: a the face of the seed, and insertion of the funiculus j b the termination of the funi-ciUus, which appears to he only partially embedded in the substance of the testa: but whether tliis appearance of the funiculusnbsp;above the sm'face of the testa throughout the whole of its com’se,nbsp;is peculiar to this species, or only an accidental occurrence, Inbsp;have no means of determining, as the fruit here represented isnbsp;the only perfect one I have seen of the species. It may probablynbsp;be, that the testa being thin, while the funiculus is large in proportion to the size of the seed, has caused it to project in thisnbsp;manner above the general level of the surface of the seed, butnbsp;at the same time, it may have been covered, for the greater partnbsp;of its length, with the smooth and tliin cuticular portion of thenbsp;testa; and this is the more probable, as we do not find an instance in any other species of these seeds, of the funiculus running for the whole length of its course, uncovered by the testa.

Fig. 2 represents the face of the seed, with the insertion of the funiculus at about the centie. Fig. 3 is a view of the backnbsp;of the seed; a, the tennination of the funiculus. Figs, 30 andnbsp;31 are two views of a nucleus, which, from its form and proportions, when viewed either sideways or edgeways, I am stronglynbsp;induced to believe belongs to this species. Fig. 30 is a sidenbsp;view of the nucleus; a, the face of the seed and inseiiion of thenbsp;funiculus. Fig, 31 represents the face of the seed.

116

Faboidea ventricosa.

(Plate 16, figs. 4—6).

Seed sideways and edgeways elliptical, thickness equal to its depth from face to back. Insertion of the funiculus near the plumular end of the seed.

This species may readily he distinguished from all others by the singular position of the insertion of its funiculus, and by itsnbsp;great tliickness. The funiculus, in tins seed, as in the speciesnbsp;last described, is uncovered by the testa throughout its wholenbsp;course; but in the present species, unlike the last, there is everynbsp;appearance of its having been, at one period, enveloped in atnbsp;least the cuticular portion of the testa, as the whole sm'face of thenbsp;seed appears to have suffered by superficial decomposition. Thisnbsp;is more apparent at the plumular end of the seed than at anynbsp;other part. At that spot a thin projecting line of the testa stillnbsp;remains, as represented at a, fig. 5, which appears to mark thenbsp;level formerly attained by the remaining portion, as the prominent edge is smooth and even, while the surrounding parts ofnbsp;the testa exhibit the remains of numerous casts and impressionsnbsp;of cellular structure; and upon no other part of the seed is therenbsp;any portion of the cuticular surface of the testa remaining.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the seed; a, the face of the seed and insertion of the funiculus. Fig. 5 represents the face of the seed,nbsp;with the funiculus occupying neai’ly the whole of its length; thenbsp;bifurcate foi-m which it frequently assumes at its insertion, in different species, is here very prominently displayed. Its tennina-tion at h presents a fractured surface, which would naturally leadnbsp;us to infer, that when perfect, it was continued over the end ofnbsp;the nucleus to the spot at which, in other species, it usually emerges from beneath the testa; but as no gi'oove remains on thenbsp;base of the seed to indicate its com’se, and as the point of its insertion differs so much from other species, so in like manner itsnbsp;tenninating point may also be different. Fig. 6 is a view of thenbsp;back of the seed.

Tliis is the only specimen of tliis singular species that I have seen.

17

Faboidea robusta.

(Plate 16, figs. 7—9),

Seed sideways and edgeways ofilong, olituse, nearly as thick as it is deep from the face to the hack, and nearly twice as long as it is thick. Insertion ofnbsp;the funiculus at the centre of the face of the seed. Testa thick.

I have met with two specimens of this seed, which, with a shght exception, very closely resemble each other in all their essential characters. Fig. 8 is a view of one of these in such anbsp;position as to show one of its sides, and at the same time tonbsp;exhibit the face of the seed, with the point of insertion of the funiculus at a, and the gi’oove in the testa in which it was embedded. The funiculus is not present j hut from the size of the spacenbsp;which it occupied, it appears to have been of considerable dimensions, and to have been either but very slightly embedded in thenbsp;testa, or to have had its upper surface entirely exposed. Tirenbsp;groove is continued round the end of the seed, to the spot atnbsp;which the funiculus usually quits the testa. Fig. 9 is a view ofnbsp;one side of the same seed; a the face of the seed somewhat disfigured by an m'egular cruciform patch of exfraneous pyrites.—nbsp;Fig. 7 represents a side view of another specimen, which variesnbsp;from the last only in being a little deeper in proportion from thenbsp;face to the back. Tlie funiculus is wanting in this specimen also..

Faboidea pinguis.

(Plate 16, figs. 10 and 11).

Seed edgeways and sideways oblong, obtuse : testa very thick, ventricose on each side, surface smooth. Funiculus inserted nearer to the radicular than to thenbsp;plumular end, large, and deeply buried beneath the testa.

The strikingly ventricose fonn of this species immediately distinguishes it from the whole of its congeners. The specimennbsp;represented by fig. 10 is the largest and most perfect of fom-

I 3

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which I have in my possession. Its depth from face to back is about equal to its thickness; and its length, when perfect, probably exceeded that of fig. 10 by about thi-ee lines, as the testanbsp;of a much smaller specimen in my possession was about a linenbsp;and a half in thickness. The whole of the four specimens havenbsp;suffered much from the partial solution of the testa, especially innbsp;the line of the sharp edge of the nucleus. Fig. 10 is a view ofnbsp;the face of the fruit: a the testa, b the nucleus, and c the funiculus, which passes round the end of the seed to the point at whichnbsp;it usually emerges from the testa. Fig. 11 represents a longitudinal section of another specimen, which is figured in a positionnbsp;the reverse of the other seeds in the plate, b being the funiculus,nbsp;c the plimmlar end, and a the face of the seed. Tlie testa at c,nbsp;is about a line in thickness, although decomposition of its surfacenbsp;has taken place to a very considerable extent. The interior ofnbsp;the nucleus is hollow, and lined with crystallized pyrites. Thenbsp;other two specimens in my possession are somewhat smaller thannbsp;the two figured ones, but one of them is thicker and more ven-tricose in its form than the seed represented by figure 10.

Faboidea subrobusta.

(Plate 16, figs. 12—14).

Seed sideways and edgeways oblong, depth from face to back in proportion to its thickness as five to four; testa very thin, surface smooth. Funiculus inserted nearest to the radicular end of the seed.

This species very much resembles Fab. rohusta in its form and proportions, but is considerably smaller and more symmetrical. It is best distinguished from that species by the differencenbsp;in the situation of the insertion of the funiculus, and by its extremely thin testa. Fig. 12 is a view of one of the sides of thenbsp;seed, nnfortunately covered to a considerable extent by a largenbsp;patch of extraneous pyrites: a is the face of the seed and insertion of the funiculus. Fig. 13 represents the face of the seed:

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a the broken end of the funicnlus, from the base of which a strongly-produced carinated line proceeds, and passing thencenbsp;along the face of the seed, over its plumular end and up its back,nbsp;terminates at a point about opposite to the spot at which it hasnbsp;its origin. Fig. 14 is a view of the back of the seed: a the carinated line; h the testa, and c a small portion of the nucleus,nbsp;seen through a fractm-e in the testa, which at this spot is notnbsp;more than about one third of a line in thickness. The minute,nbsp;depressed, ch’cular areas of the surface of the nucleus are beautifully preserved in this specimen. Unfortunately the surface ofnbsp;the specimen is much defaced by patches of extraneous pyrites;nbsp;but where it is not thus obscured, as at h fig. 14, and at othernbsp;parts of the seed, the testa presents a smooth and even sm'face.

This is the only specimen I have seen of tins species.

Faboidea planimeta.

(Plate 16, figs. 15—17).

Seed sideways somewhat reniform, edgeways oblong, compressed: testa thin. Funiculus inserted nearer to the radicular than to the plumular end of the seed :nbsp;base of the nucleus wide and depressed.

The form of this seed is singular, and different from that of any of the preceding species. If the specimen represented by fig.nbsp;15 had the whole of the testa preserved, the back would presentnbsp;nearly a straight line, or but a very slight curve, while the face,nbsp;and especially that part nearest to the plumular end, is producednbsp;in a more than ordinary degi’ee, the upper half of that part ofnbsp;the nucleus being compressed and projected forward in the formnbsp;of a sharp edge, as at c fig. 15, while the radicular end of thenbsp;nucleus is depressed, as represented at a a, figs. 16 and 17.nbsp;Fig. 15 presents a side view; a the nucleus; h the insertion ofnbsp;the funiculus, and d a portion of the testa. Fig. 16 representsnbsp;the back of the seed and the testa: a the nucleus with its depressed concave end. Fig. 17 is a view of the face of the seed:

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a the nucleus; h the insertion of the funiculus; d d parts of the testa.

FaBOIDEA QÜADRAPES.

(Plate 16, figs. 18 and 19).

Nucleus sideways renifonn, edgeways, plumular end nearly a semicircle, funicular end depressed, forming a right angle with the axis of the seed. Point of insertion of the funiculus at about the middle of the face.

This is the first of a series of seven species, of wliich I have seen nothing more than the nucleus, and which I have heen unable to recognise as the nuclei of any of the preceding ones.nbsp;The names, therefore, must he considered rather as provisionalnbsp;than as those most appropriate to the species, but which can onlynbsp;be changed for more characteristic ones when we shall becomenbsp;better acquainted with the characters of the remaining parts ofnbsp;the seed. Fig. 18 is a side view of the seed: a the radicularnbsp;end ] b the plumular end; c the face and the insertion of thenbsp;funiculus.

This is the only specimen of this species I have met with.

Faboidea bifalcis.

(Plate 16, figs. 20 and 21).

Nucleus sideways, plumular end semicircular, radicular end depressed : depth of nucleus from back to face, nearly equal to its length, with a falciformnbsp;curved line projecting from the surface of the nucleus, and reaching from thenbsp;face to the back on each side; edgeways compressed, slightly curving inwards onnbsp;each side, plumular end semicircular, radicular end depressed, forming nearly anbsp;right angle with the axis of the seed. Insertion of the funiculus nearest to thenbsp;funicular end.

This nucleus, in some of its characters, resembles that of Fab. semicurvilmcaris, while in others it differs essentially from

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that species. Like that it is furnished with two falciform curves, one on each side of the nucleus, which extend from the hack tonbsp;the front, and which dip towards the plumular end of the seed.

Tlie insertion of the funiculus is also in the same relative position as in Fah. semicurvilinearis, but in other respects these seeds differ very considerably. Thus in viewing the nuclei of ten specimens of Fah. semicurvilinearis edgeways, it was found that thenbsp;whole of them were considerably thicker near their plumular endnbsp;than towards their funicular one; while in Fab. hifalcis the proportions were equal. Upon viewing the two species sideways,nbsp;in the former the depth from face to back at near the plumularnbsp;end was very considerably more than at near the opposite end,nbsp;while in the latter the proportions were very neaidy equal. Thenbsp;length also in the former is greater in proportion to the widthnbsp;than in the latter. Fig. 20 is a view of one of the sides of thenbsp;nucleus: a the face of the seed and the point of insertion of tlienbsp;funiculus. Fig. 21 represents the hack of the seed.

This seed is the only one of the species I have seen.

Faboidea tenuis.

(Plate 16, figs. 22 and 23).

JVucleus sideways, back nearly straight and parallel to the axis of the seed, front very much more produced towards the plumular end, with a falciform furrow curving towards the plumular end of the seed; edgeways ovate, elongate.—nbsp;Insertion of the funiculus very near the funicular end of the seed.

This species resembles the nucleus of Fab. semicurvilinearis in form, excepting that it is much thicker in proportion than thatnbsp;species. The falciform Hne is a fm-row instead of being raisednbsp;above the siu’face, and it differs also in having the insertion ofnbsp;the funicidus very considerably nearer to the radicular end of thenbsp;seed. It is the only specimen I have seen of this species.

Fig. 22 represents the side of the seed; a the face and point of insertion of the funiculus. Fig. 23 is a view of the face ofnbsp;the seed; a the insertion of the funiculus.

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Faboidea subtenuis, nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;*

(Plate 16, figs. 24 and 25).

Nucleus sideways, back nearly straight and parallel to the axis of the seed, face more produced towards the plumular end than towards the opposite one, withnbsp;a faintly-raised falciform line, passing across each side, and curving towards thenbsp;plumular end of the seed; edgeways elliptical, compressed. Insertion of the funiculus near the middle of the face of the seed.

I have three specimens of the nucleus of this species, which closely resemble each other in every respect. They are less attenuated towards the funicular end, when viewed either edgeways or sideways, than the last species, and the position of thenbsp;insertion of the funiculus is also ditferent. Fig. 24 is a side viewnbsp;of the seed; a the face and insertion of the fmiiculus. Fig. 25nbsp;represents the face of the seed.

Faboidea rostrata.

(Plate 16, figs. 26 and 27).

Nucleus sideways oblong, with the point of attachment to the funiculus very much produced; edgeways ovate, with the funicular end of the nucleus slightly depressed. Insertion of the funiculus near the middle of the face of the seed.

I have heen unable to refer tliis singular specimen to any of the preceding species, from all which it differs more especially innbsp;the disproportionate development of their point of attachment tonbsp;the funiculus, which assumes the form of a strongly-producednbsp;rostrum, as at fig. 26, wliich represents one of the sides of thenbsp;seed, a being the face, and the point of insertion of the funiculus.nbsp;Fig, 27 is a view of the face of the nucleus, with a very smallnbsp;portion of the substance of the testa adhering to it at a. Fromnbsp;the plumular end of the seed, fig. 26, there is a small piece ofnbsp;the siu-face of the nucleus broken away, about a line and a halfnbsp;in diameter, through which the ti'apeziform reticulations of the

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membrane surrounding the embryo are distinctly visible. The portion of the nucleus surrounding this part of the embryo is extremely thin, and the embryo itself very large ; there being nonbsp;doubt of this being a fully-developed and distinct fruit, and notnbsp;an abortion of any of the preceding species.

Faboidea doliformis.

(Plate 16, figs. 28 and 29).

JVucleus sideways somewhat dolifonn, edgeways ovate, niculus near the middle of the face of the nucleus.

The ventricose form of this species, when viewed sideways, readily distinguishes it from all others. Fig, 28 represents thenbsp;nucleus in this position; a, the face of the seed and insertion ofnbsp;the funiculus, with a small portion of it remaining attached. Fig.nbsp;29 is a view of the face of the seed; a, a small patch of extraneous pyrites.

Faboidea acuta,

(Plate 16, figs. 32 and 33).

JVucleus sideways pyriform, with a slightly-raised falciform line passing from the face to the back of the seed, and curving towards the plumular end; edgeways ovate, elongated, slightly compressed on each side. Insertion of the funiculus about the middle of the face of the seed.

Tills is the only specimen I have seen of this singularly-formed nucleus. It is much tliinner in proportion to its depth from face to back, than any of the preceding species, and has thenbsp;edges of the nucleus produced in a much sharper manner uponnbsp;its back and face, than in any other specimen I have met with.

Figure 32 is a view of one of the sides of the nucleus; a the face of the seed, and insertion of the funiculus. Fig. 33 represents the face of the seed; a, the insertion of the funiculus.

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LEGUMINOSITES.

(Plate 17, figs. 1 — 41 inclusive).

Seeds of true Leguminosce, the pericarps of which are unknown.

The seeds arranged in this group present, both in form and structure, all the characteristic featm’es observable in numerousnbsp;recent genera of true leguminous fruits. The position of thenbsp;embryo (as represented at a, in figs, 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, and 19) is innbsp;many cases distinctly apparent; and the hilum, when the testanbsp;is well preserved, may generally be determined with accuracy.nbsp;In some species it is of considerable magnitude, as representednbsp;at a in figs. 12 and 13; while in other cases (as at a, figs. 15,nbsp;16, and 37) it is much smaller in its dimensions. Indications ofnbsp;the division of the nucleus into two cotyledons are almost alwaysnbsp;to be observed •, and in many instances, when the seed has beennbsp;deprived of its testa, the line of separation may be distinctly traced round the whole margin of the nucleus. The testa, like thatnbsp;of the recent species of leguminous seeds, is principally formednbsp;of elongated cells, radiating in the direction of lines at right angles to the surface of the nucleus; and these cells, both in thenbsp;number occmaing in a single lirre, and in their dimerrsions andnbsp;proporiions, agree very closely with those found in the testa ofnbsp;many of the recent species of Legiminosce. When examinednbsp;with a microscopic power of one hundred and twenty linear’, thenbsp;outer sm’faces also, both of the nucleus and of the testa, agr-ee irrnbsp;their structm’e and general appearance with those of recent leguminous seeds viewed in the same manner. We may thereforenbsp;justly conclude that the whole of these interesting remains of annbsp;ancient Flora are true Leguminosa;. It worrld however be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to identify these seeds withnbsp;those of existing genera, supposing them to belong to such, without the assistance of their pericai’ps: I have therefore thought itnbsp;most advisable to place the whole of them in one gi’oup, and tonbsp;designate them Leguminosites.

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Leguminosites subovatus.

(Plate 17, figs. 1 and 2).

Seed subovate, thickness slightly exceeding half its length, depth from front to back exceeding three fourths of its length. Embryo near the middle of thenbsp;face of the seed.

From the position and form of the well-developed radicle of this seed {a a, figs. 1 and 2), there is little doubt that it belongsnbsp;to the Curvembriee : but as it is the only one of the species thatnbsp;I have seen, I have not ventm’ed to fracture it in search of fm-ther information on this point. Its greatest thickness in proportion to its length, is as twelve to twenty; and its greatest depthnbsp;from face to back, is to its length as sixteen to twenty. Whennbsp;viewed edgeways,.as represented in fig. 1, it presents a well-proportioned ovate outline: when placed sideways, as seen in fig.nbsp;2, its form is still ovate, hut much broader in proportion thannbsp;when viewed in the former position. The testa has sufferednbsp;gi-eatly from decomposition; by which means also all traces ofnbsp;the hilum have been obliterated. As nearly as can he ascertained from its remains, the testa was thin and smooth.

Leguminosites grasses.

(Plate 17, figs. 3 and 4).

Seed oval, thickness nearly equal to its depth; depth from face to back exceeding three fourths of its length : testa smooth.

The seed represented by figs. 3 and 4, is the only one of the species that I have seen. Its greatest tliickness from side to sidenbsp;is eleven fiftieths of an inch; its greatest depth from the face tonbsp;the hack, thirteen fiftieths; and its length, sixteen fiftieths of annbsp;inch: but as it appears depressed on one side, it is probable thatnbsp;in its original state it was somewhat tliicker than in its present

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condition. The testa is smooth, and about the fiftieth part of an inch in thickness at the points a a, fig. 4, which presents us withnbsp;a view of one side of the seed, from which a portion of that integument has been removed. The part of the cotyledon exhibitednbsp;nithin this space is irregularly contracted and partially depressed,nbsp;and has its surface covered by impressions of numerous minutenbsp;vessels. This fractm’e of the testa unfortunately extends over sonbsp;great a portion of the face of the seed, as to render it impossiblenbsp;to ascertain, with any degree of certainty, the proper situation ofnbsp;the hilum; hut from the remains of a deep depression in thenbsp;testa, at the point h, fig. 4, and from the convergence of the impressions of the numerous minute vessels upon the surface of thenbsp;cotyledons towai’ds that point, I am strongly inclined to believenbsp;it to be the true situation of the hilum.

Figure 3 presents us with a view of the hack of the seed,— a d indicating the true median line, the blunt carina being produced by a partial contraction of the left side of the seed, as represented in the figure.

Leguminosites elegans.

(Plate 17, figs. 5—7)

Seed edgeways subovate, sideways oblong, obtuse; radicle conspicuous, situated above the middle of the face of the seed: testa smooth: hilum inconspicuous.

The two seeds represented in figs. 5, 6, and 7, differ in some respects from each other, but not to such an extent as to warrantnbsp;our considering them as distinct species. The larger of the twonbsp;has the apex of the radicle reaching to about the middle of the facenbsp;of the seed, as represented at a, figs. 5 and 7; while in thenbsp;smaller specimen, given in fig. 6, it does not, as shown at a innbsp;that figm-e, extend quite to that point: but the difference maynbsp;probably arise from this part not having been so fully developednbsp;as in the larger and perhaps more mature seed. In every other

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respect the two specimens closely resemble each other, especially in the relative proportions of their length, breadth, and thickness.nbsp;In both specimens the testa appears to be about the one hundredth part of an inch in tliickness, smooth, and without any external indication of the hilum.

In the specimen represented by fig. 6, the radicle projects somewhat beyond the parallel of the face of the seed, which isnbsp;not the case with the one represented by figm’es 5 and 7; butnbsp;this difference would not amount to a specific distinction. Thenbsp;seeds of Cytisus Austriacus and Laburnum somewhat resemblenbsp;those of Leg. elegans in form, but they have the radicle projectingnbsp;beyond the general level of the face of the seed, to a much greater extent. It is very probable that if we were in possession ofnbsp;more certain means of determining the relation of the plants producing our fossils to the recent genera, than those afforded bynbsp;the seeds alone, we should find they were either extinct speciesnbsp;of Cytisus, or very closely alhed to that genus.

Leguminosites rotundatus.

(Plate 17, figs 8 and 9).

Seed sideways nearly circular, edgeways somewhat ovate : hilum minute, situated at about the middle of the face of the seed.

I have seen but three of this species, the one figured is that which is in the best state of preservation; two of them verynbsp;closely resemble each other in size and proportion, the thhd hasnbsp;lost its testa, but when perfect would have been of about the samenbsp;dimensions. The thickness of the seed is very nearly equal tonbsp;its depth fi'om face to back, and its depth is nearly as great asnbsp;its length. The hilum, a, fig. 9, is minute and situated at aboutnbsp;the middle of the face of the seed, but in consequence of a partialnbsp;decomposition of the surface of the testa, it is not very distinctlynbsp;exhibited in either of the specimens in my possession.

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Figure 8 pre^nts a side view of the seed: a, tlie face. Figui’e 9 is a view of the face of the seed: a, the hilum.

Leguminosites longissimus.

(Plate 17, figs. 10 and 11).

Seed, length, exceeding twice its depth from face to back, and three times its greatest thickness: hilum conspicuous, half as long as the seed.

The seed represented by figures 10 and 11, is the only one of the species I have seen. Unfortunately it has lost, by decomposition, the greater part of the testa, hut the marked ditferencenbsp;in its proportions between this and the other figured species, willnbsp;readily serve to distinguish it from its congeners. From thenbsp;fragments of the testa still remaining, it may he presumed thatnbsp;that integument has been about the fiftieth part of an inch innbsp;thickness. No portion of its epidermal tissue is preserved. Ifnbsp;the testa had been in a perfect state of preservation, the foim ofnbsp;the seed would probably have approached nearly to that of thenbsp;seed of the common scarlet runner of the gardens, (Phaseolusnbsp;midtijlorus), with the exception of being somewhat more elongated. But it differs fi'om Phaseolus in the shape and proportionnbsp;of the hilum, which, in a perfect specimen of Leg. longissimusnbsp;would be equal in extent to about half the extreme length of thenbsp;seed. In the seed represented by fig. 10, plate 17, its extent isnbsp;from a to h. The back of the seed, c, figs. 10 and 11, is cari-nated in about the same proportion as in the seeds of the scarletnbsp;runner.

Figure 10 presents a view of one side of the seed: a—h indicates the length of the hilum; c, the back of the seed; d, anbsp;portion of the testa.

Figure 11 presents a view of the back of the seed: c, the carinated edge; d d, portions of the testa remaining attached tonbsp;the cotyledons.

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Leguminosites gracilis.

(Plate 17, figs. 12 and 13).

Seed edgeways slender, curved, sideways oblong, doubly convex on one side, singly convex on the other: hilum conspicuous, central, about one third the lengthnbsp;of the seed.

The seed represented in figs. 12 and 13, is the most perfect of three specimens which I have in my possession. The whole ofnbsp;them are in a fine state of preservation. When viewed with thenbsp;face towards the eye it appears slender and of a concavo-convexnbsp;form, its thickness at the centre being in proportion to its length,nbsp;as four to twenty-five. One side of the seed, as represented hynbsp;figm’e 13, is furnished with two convex areas, one towards eachnbsp;end, and an intermediate concave space in a fine with and occupying a portion of the seed, about equal to the length of thenbsp;hilum: while the contrary side presents an uniform convexity,nbsp;which occupies the whole of its surface, as represented at b, fig.nbsp;12. The hack of the seed is sharply caiinated, and the regularity of its curve is broken at the point 6, fig. 13, hy a verynbsp;slightly produced projection.

The liilum a, figs. 12 and 13, is situated at about the middle of the face of the seed, and occupies a space equal to one thirdnbsp;of its extreme length. An elongated angular ridge runs throughnbsp;the middle of this long and naiTow scar, for nearly the whole ofnbsp;its length. At about the cenh'al and most elevated portion ofnbsp;this ridge is situated the omphalodium, an oval depression aboutnbsp;twice as long as it is broad, through which passed the vesselsnbsp;tliat conveyed the nutriment from the plant to the seed.

Leguminosites enormis.

(Plate 17, figs. 14 and 15).

Seed obscurely reniform, compressed laterally ; hilum conspicuous, small, somewhat carunculate.

Of five specimens of this seed which are in my possession, four are very similar in foiin and proportion to figs. 14 and 15,

K

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the fifth is somewhat less in depth from the front to the back.— Four of the specimens, when viewed with the side of the seed towards the eye, as in fig. 15, present a very irregular outhne jnbsp;the remaining one is more equally reniform : the whole of themnbsp;are compressed laterally to about the same extent. One extremity of the right cotyledon is shghtly depressed, as representednbsp;at b, figs. 14 and 15; and this partial depression is in the samenbsp;relative situation, and of about the same extent, in all the specimens. The testa is smooth and shining.

In two of the specimens the epidermis was partly wanting, and it then assumed a punctate appearance fi’om the depressionnbsp;of the outer side of the cells immediately beneath. The cells ofnbsp;which the testa is composed, are arranged in lines which pass offnbsp;in curves towards the back of the seed, and are the one thousandth part of an inch in diameter. From this an-angement ofnbsp;the cells it is probable that these seeds are rectembrionic. Thenbsp;liilum is situated at the middle of the face of the seed; it is aboutnbsp;the seventeenth of an inch in length, and is surrounded by anbsp;slightly-elevated fleshy ridge. The omphalodium, or part throughnbsp;which the nomishing vessels pass, is oval in foirn, and of aboutnbsp;the fiftieth of an inch in length.

Figiu’e 14 is a front view of the seed ; a, the Ifilum; h, the depressed tennination of the right cotyledon.

Figure 15, a view of the right side of the same seed : a, the Inlum; h, the depressed termination of the cotyledon.

Leguminosites dimidiates.

(Plate 17, figs. 16, 17, 18).

Seed edgeways, one side nearly flat, with two slight convexities at each end, the other side with a single prominent convexity : testa smooth, thin : liilnm conspicuous, long, oval, equal to about one third of the greatest length of the seed:nbsp;omphalodium central, oval, about one fifth the length of the hilum.

The seed represented in figs. 16, 17, and 18, is the only well-preserved specimen of this species that I have seen. When

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viewed with the face of the seed towards the eye, as represented in fig. 16, the cotyledons appear very unequal in size; the rightnbsp;one having two convexities, with a slight intervening depression,nbsp;while the left cotyledon, b, fig. 16, is singly convex and verynbsp;gibbous. The greater part of the epidermic portion of the testanbsp;is wanting, hut the small part that remains proves that it has beennbsp;very thin. The cellular structure of the testa is arranged in linesnbsp;which pass off in curves from the face towards the hack of thenbsp;seed, when they converge towards the point c, figs. 17 andnbsp;18, from wliich we may infer that it is probably rectemhrionic.nbsp;The hüum is large and very conspicuous, of an oval form, andnbsp;nearly equal to one tldrd of the greatest length of the seed; itnbsp;is furnished with an elevated ridge, which passes through its centre in a longitudinal direction, and upon which Üie omphalodiumnbsp;is seated.,

A second specimen of this species which I have, agrees with the figured one in its foi-m and proportions, hut is in a slight degree larger. The liilum is also similar to that of the figm-ednbsp;specimen, hut not in a sufficiently good state of preservation tonbsp;exhibit the omphalodium.

Leguminosites lentifokmis.

(Plate 17, figs. 19 and 20).

Seed lentifoini, radicle conspicuous: testa smooth, thick.

I have seen but two specimens of this species; the one represented by figs. 19 and 20 has lost the whole of the epidermic portion of the testa, but in other respects is in a very good statenbsp;of preservation. The radicle (a, fig. 19) is situated at the middle of the face of the seed, and elevates that portion of the testanbsp;to a considerable extent. A lens of an inch focus exhibited anbsp;slightly-depressed line running round the whole edge of the seed,nbsp;and indicating the line of separation of the cotyledons. In thenbsp;second specimen the testa was in a perfect state of preservation.

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excepting a small portion only in the neighhom-hood of the hi-lum. It was the seventieth part of an inch in tliickness; the epidermis is smooth and somewhat shining, with the cellularnbsp;sti’ucture heneatli arranged in lines radiating from the centre towards the smface of the seed. The radicle was hroken off, hutnbsp;the part at which it entered between the cotyledons was indicatednbsp;hy a well-defined circular area, the one hundredth part of annbsp;inch in diameter; and this junction of the radicle and plumulenbsp;was in exactly the same relative situation as that of the samenbsp;parts in the figm-ed specimen. The hilum could not be definednbsp;with any degree of certainty in either of the specimens. Fromnbsp;the form and position of the radicle in this seed, there can be hutnbsp;tittle doubt that it belongs to the curvembriones.

Figiu-e 19, a side view of the seed: a, the radicle.

Figure 20, a view of the face of the seed.

Leguminosites planus.

(Plate 17, figs. 21 and 22).

Seed, depth from face to hack nearly equal to its length, thickness slightly exceeding one fourth of its length : testa thin, smooth : hilum near the centre ofnbsp;the face of the seed: embryo curving from the face on to the end of the seed.

I have two of these seeds, which agree in their form and proportions, but vary very slightly in size, the one figured being rather the lai'ger of the two. The sides are compressed, andnbsp;are nearly of an equal thickness throughout the whole of theirnbsp;surface. The testa is thin, and its epidermis smooth and even.nbsp;The hilum is situated near the centre of the face of the seed, itnbsp;is small and oval, a fig. 21 and 22. The embryo, in the seednbsp;figured, is covered by the testa, but in the second specimen itnbsp;was distinctly and beautifully exhibited when the portion of thatnbsp;integument immediately above it was removed. The terminationnbsp;of the radicle is situated at the point b, fig. 22. At its junctionnbsp;with the plimiula, c, fig. 22, it is bent abruptly backwai'd to the

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end of the seed, where the plumula is seen buried deeply in an excavation between the cotyledons, and extending as far as thenbsp;point d, fig. 22. The fossa for the reception of the plnmula isnbsp;so deep, and the immersion of that part within it so perfect, thatnbsp;when the whole is covered by the testa no indication of the presence of the embryo beneath is afforded.

I/EGUMINOSITES LOBATUS.

(Plate 17, fig. 23—25).

Seed reniform, with two prominent convexities on one side and one on the other; hack umbonate : testa thick, coriaceous : hilum in the middle of the facenbsp;of the seed, minute, circular.

The seed figm'ed is fortunately in a very fine state of preservation, and it is the only one of the species I have seen. Its average tliickness is equal to half its length, and its greatest depthnbsp;from face to hack equals two thirds of its lengtli. One of thenbsp;cotyledons is fimiished with two convexities of equal size, withnbsp;a deep intervening indentation extending from the face to thenbsp;back, as represented at a, figs. 23 and 25, while the contrary sidenbsp;of the seed presents a single convexity, extending uniformly overnbsp;the whole of its sm'face, as represented at h, figs. 23 and 24.nbsp;At the hack of the seed opposite to the hilum there is a well-produced mnbo, c, figs. 24 and 25. The testa appears thick innbsp;proportion to the seed, it is about the one hundredth part of annbsp;inch in thickness, its surface smooth, but slightly uneven, andnbsp;when viewed with a lens of half an inch focus, it assumes a coriaceous appearance.

The hilum, situated in the middle of the face of the seed, is scarcely visible without the assistance of a lens. It is a minutenbsp;ch'cular excavation, with a rounded edge, the greatest diameternbsp;not exceeding the nineteenth part of an inch. There is a cracknbsp;in the testa of this specimen, which extends through the wholenbsp;length of the face of the seed and over a portion of both its ends,

K 3

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as represented in fig. 23, passing between the points c c, winch prevents the hilum from being distingnished in the figure.

Leguminosites inconstans.

(Plate 17, figs. 26—28).

Seed reniform, thin: testa thin, smooth: hilum in the middle of the face of the seed, conspicuous, nearly one third as long as the seed.

The form of this species approaches somewhat to that of Leff. lobatus, hut in all the specimens I have seen it is less thicknbsp;in proportion to its size. Of three specimens in my possession,nbsp;which are in a fine state of preservation, two have the endsnbsp;of the seed unequal in thickness, as represented at fig. 26, hutnbsp;not in the same proportion, while in the third specimen they arenbsp;nearly of an equal thickness. The average thickness of thesenbsp;seeds is in proportion to their length, as five to sixteen. Thenbsp;testa is thin, being but the hundred and sixty-seventh part of annbsp;inch in thickness; its smface is smooth, even and shining.

The hilum is elliptical in its form, and attains a length nearly equal to one thh’d of that of the seed. The omphalodium is oval,nbsp;about tmce as long as it is broad, and is not elevated above thenbsp;level of the surrounding hilum in either of the specimens examined. At the middle of the hack of the seed, opposite to thenbsp;hilum there is, in two of the three specimens, a very slight indication of an umbo, c fig. 27, hut in the third it is not perceptible.

Figure 26 represents the hack of the seed.

Figure 27 is a view of one of the sides, having a circular excavation at a, which presents every appearance of havingnbsp;been the work of an insect; b, Üie face of the seed, with a smallnbsp;speck of extraneous pyrites projecting from the side of the hilum.

Figure 28 represents the side of the seed contrary to that seen in fig. 27: «, a portion of the testa remaining upon thenbsp;seed; b, the nucleus deprived of the testa.

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Leguminosites reniformis.

(Plate 17, figs. 29 and 30).

Seed reniform; length very slightly exceeding twice its thickness: testa smooth, shining: hilum circular, large, a shght space removed from the middlenbsp;of the face of the seed : foramen distinct, near the middle of the face of the seed.

Figure 29, which is a view of the face of the seed, represents the general aspect of this species. Fig. 30 exhibits a side viewnbsp;of the same seed; and as far as regards the proportion betweennbsp;the length and the depth from face to back, it conveys a tolerably correct idea of the ordinary appearance of this species ; hutnbsp;in other specimens which I have received since the plate was engraved, the inequalities which are represented at a and b, on thenbsp;hack and face of the figured specimen, do not exist. Upon anbsp;close examination there is strong reason to believe, that these inequalities were produced by a slight decomposition of the fossilized substance of the testa at those parts. The general proportions of the present species may be expressed by the followingnbsp;numbers :—length eleven; thickness five; and depth from facenbsp;to back eight. The testa is even, smooth, and shining. In thenbsp;spechnen which is in the best state of preservation, the hilum hasnbsp;the form of a deep, circular excavation, the twenty-fifth part of annbsp;inch in diameter, being about üvice the size of the same organnbsp;in the seeds of either Cytisus Austriacus or Laburnum, or innbsp;those of Colutea arborescens, the whole of which are as nearly asnbsp;possible of the same general dimensions as our fossils. Thenbsp;position of the hilum, as represented at a, fig. 29, is removed anbsp;trifling space from the middle of the face of the seed; and immediately above it, at the spot indicated by b, fig. 29, is the placenbsp;of the foramen, being an excavation similar in form to the hilum,nbsp;but not exceeding the fiftieth part of an inch in diameter. Thenbsp;space intervening between the two organs is not more than aboutnbsp;the hundredth part of an inch. From the comparatively largenbsp;size of both these organs, it might be imagined that their diameters had possibly been eiflarged by decomposition or other

136

accidental causes; but upon a careful examination of them under a microscopic power of fifty linear, the testa, covered with its epidermis, was seen gradually to round off and to descend anbsp;short distance into each of the cavities.

Leguminosites curtus.

(Plate 17, figs. 31 and 32).

Seed nearly as deep from the face to the hack as it is long, greatest thickness equal to about half its length: testa smooth : hilum about the middle of the face of the seed, small, circular: foramen at the hack of the seed opposite the hilum.

I have four well-defined seeds of this species, which agree very closely in all their essential characters. The dimensions ofnbsp;the figured specimen may he expressed in the following manner;nbsp;—length, twelve; depth from face to back, ten; and greatestnbsp;thickness, six. When viewed sideways, the whole of the specimens present an iiTegular outline, as seen in fig. 32. The testanbsp;is smooth, and somewhat shining. The situation of the hilumnbsp;varies in a trifling degree in some of the specimens, but in thenbsp;whole of them it is situated very nearly in the middle of the facenbsp;of the seed. It is a small, circular, excavation, which, in the figured specimen, measured the fiftieth part of an inch in diameter,nbsp;(fig. 32, a). The foramen is situated at the middle of the hacknbsp;of the seed, immediately opposite to the hilum: it is small, circular, and excavated, and measures the one hundred and twenty-fifth part of an inch in diameter. One of the four seeds has lostnbsp;nearly the whole of its testa, and at two separate places has hadnbsp;a considerable portion of the sm’face of the nucleus eaten awaynbsp;by some mandibulated insect. The cellular structure of the nucleus is preserved in the most perfect and beautiful manner, andnbsp;every indentation made by the mandibles of the insect, and thenbsp;eroded edges of the spaces attacked, remain as sharply and distinctly marked upon the nucleus as if it were a recent fruit, andnbsp;the insect had been driven at the instant fi-om its repast.

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Figure 31 represents the face of the seed. Fig. 32 is a view of one side of the seed: a, the hilum; h, the situation of the foramen

Leguminosites subquadrangularis.

(Plate 17, figs. 33 and 34).

Seed vvlien viewed sideways somewhat quadrangular; depth from face to hack about two thirds of its length, thickness slightly exceeding half its depthnbsp;from the face to the hack : testa smooth, shining : hilum in the middle of the facenbsp;of the seed, minute, circular.

I have three specimens of this seed, which agree very closely in then' size and proportions. When viewed sideways, as represented in fig. 34, there is a considerable approach towards anbsp;quadrangular outline, and this obtains, to an equal degree, in allnbsp;the specimens. The testa is smooth, even, and shining. Thenbsp;hiliun is situated at the middle of the face of the seed, and hasnbsp;the foim of a circular excavation, the three hundred and seventieth part of an inch in diameter. I have been unable to determine the place of the foramen. On the back of one of the injurednbsp;specimens, immediately opposite to the hilum, there was an ap-peai’ance closely resembling the foramen but in consequence ofnbsp;a partial decomposition of the testa, I could not satisfy myself ofnbsp;its really being that organ.

Figure 33 is a view of the face of the seed: a, the hilum.

Figm-e 34, a side -vdew of the same seed: a, the face.

Leguminosites ^quilateralis.

(Plate 17, figs. 35—37).

Seed reniform: cotyledons neaidy equal in bulk: testa smooth : hilum conspicuous, oval, about one fourth the length of the seed: omphalodium small, slightly oval.

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Tins seed, mthout a careful examination, may readily be mistaken for Legumin. dimidiatus, but it differs from that speciesnbsp;in haring the cotyledons nearly equal to each other in bulk,—nbsp;in the hilmn being somewhat less in proportion,—and in the fonnnbsp;and comparative size of the omphalodium.

The seed represented in figs. 35, 36, and 37, is the only one I possessed when the plate was engraved, and, unfortunately, itnbsp;had lost the whole of its testa; its natural size would thereforenbsp;have slightly exceeded that of the figures. I have since acquired another specimen, in a fine state of preservation, whichnbsp;agrees with the figured one in every respect, excepting that it isnbsp;not quite so thick in proportion, and that it has not the umbo atnbsp;the back of the seed, represented at b, fig. 36, so much developed;nbsp;hut it is probable that it would not have appeared so prominentnbsp;in the figured specimen had that retained its testa. The testa,nbsp;in the unfigured specimen, is smooth, even and shining. Thenbsp;bibirn is situated in tlie middle of the face of the seed, and occupies a space equal to about one fourth of its length. Thenbsp;omphalodium is small, very nearly cfrcular, and elevated considerably above the general level of the hüum. The foramen isnbsp;situated at the back of the seed, immediately opposite the hilmn.nbsp;Figure 35 represents the face of the seed: a, the hilum.nbsp;Figures 36 and 37 exhibit the sides of the seed: a, fig. 37,nbsp;tlie bibiTTi; b, fig. 36, the situation of the foramen.

Leguminosites trapeziformis.

(Plate 17, figs. 38 and 39).

Seed compressed, thin, when viewed sideways somewhat ti’apeziform: hilum about the middle of the face of the seed, elongated, large.

The specimen represented by figs. 38 and 39, is the only seed of this species I have seen; unfortunately it has lost thenbsp;gi’eater part of its testa. When viewed with the face towardsnbsp;the eye, as represented in fig. 38, it appears thin, and much

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compressed. With the side presented to the eye, as in fig, 39, its outline is irregular and somewhat trapeziform. A small portion only of the testa remains, tlie greater part of which is seennbsp;towards the back of the seed at h, fig. 39. It appears to havenbsp;been thin and smooth, but the bad state of its preservation doesnbsp;not allow of om: determining these points with any degree ofnbsp;certainty. The hilum is situated at about the middle of the facenbsp;of the seed, its length is nearly equal to half that of the seed.nbsp;Near the centre of the hilum there is a small projecting mass, a,nbsp;fig. 39, which appears to have been a portion of the funiculusnbsp;umbilicalis remaining attached to the omphalodium, such as maynbsp;be frequently observed adhering to the hilum of recent leguminous seeds. I have a recent seed in my possession very similarnbsp;in form and proportions to our fossil Leg. trapeziformis, butnbsp;slightly exceeding it in size, in which the foramen is situated atnbsp;the point con'esponding with d, fig. 39, at which spot there is,nbsp;in om- fossil, a slight circular depression; but this portion of thenbsp;seed has suffered so much from decomposition and other causes,nbsp;as to allow of our surmising only, that it possibly may have beennbsp;a true foramen; and this is rendered the more probable fromnbsp;there being no appearance of that organ upon any part of thenbsp;back of the seed.

Leguminosites cordatus.

(Plate 17, figs. 40 and 41).

Seed compressed, when viewed sideways heart-shaped: testa smooth: hilum oval, elongated : omphalodium circular: foramen at the apex of the seed, minute,nbsp;oval.

The specimen figured is the only one of the species I have seen; unfortunately it has suffered much by partial decomposition. When viewed edgeways, as represented in fig. 40, it is seennbsp;to be compressed in a lateral direction, but when the side is presented to the eye, as in fig. 41, the outline is heart-shaped. The

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testa, 11'om a small portion remaining upon one side of tlie seed, appears to have been smooth and even. The hilum has sufferednbsp;much by decomposition of its surface, hut the raised mai-ginalnbsp;line which marks its former boundary remains, and from this itnbsp;appears to have been of an oval form and about a line in length.nbsp;It is situated at the middle of the base of the seed, a, figs. 40nbsp;and 41, which part, in the first of these figures, is shghtly inclined towards the eye, in order to afford a more direct view ofnbsp;it. The omphalodium is circular, and measured the fiftieth ofnbsp;an inch in diameter. It is situated exactly beneath the line a,nbsp;fig. 41, and appears to have been elevated above the surrounding area of the testa. The foramen is situated at the apex ofnbsp;the seed, h, fig. 41; it is minute, oval, and about twice as longnbsp;as it is broad. It measured the one hundredth part of an inchnbsp;in length.

MIMOSITES.

(Plate 17, fig. 42).

Fruits which belong to the natural order Mimosea.

Mimosites Browniana.

(Plate 17, fig. 42).

Legume about six times as long as it is broad : sutures broad and strongly marked : apex acuminate : base attenuated : seeds numerous, oval, compressed.

This beautiful and unique specimen was found embedded in the middle of a mass of cement-stone, from a pit at Ossington,nbsp;Suffolk. It is in the collection of John Brown, Esq., of Stanway,nbsp;who, at the suggestion of Dr. Mitchell, very kindly favoured me

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with the loan of it. I have therefore given it the name of Browniana, in honor of its liberal and scientific possessor.

The substance of the legume, unlike the greater number of the Sheppey specimens of fossilized fruits, is composed of carbonaceous matter, and the interior of the fi-uit appeal's to be fillednbsp;with the same material as that in which it is embedded.

The form and general appearance of this fossil is strikingly similar to the legume of VachelUa Farnesiana, but the valvesnbsp;appear to have been more compressed, and they do not exhibitnbsp;any traces of impressions of the numerous, ramifying, vascularnbsp;bundles, which produce the strongly-marked striated appearancenbsp;seen over the whole of the surface of the recent fruit. The legumes of a specimen of Bauhinia Candida in the herbarium ofnbsp;the British Museum, also resemble our fossil in the proportionsnbsp;of their length and breadth, and are compressed laterally innbsp;about the same degi'ee, but the apex of the pod is more acute,nbsp;and its temination, for about the last half inch of its length, isnbsp;subulate. The compressed figure of the fossil legume does notnbsp;appear to be the result of mechanical pressure, as there is notnbsp;the slightest distortion or fracture in any part of it. This compressed form of the pod also prevails in the fruits of many speciesnbsp;of Acacia. The seeds are at least eight or nine in number, andnbsp;present every appearance of being of a similar compressed ovalnbsp;form to those of VachelUa Farnesiana, but larger, the form ofnbsp;the one indicated by a, fig. 42, being particularly welTdisplayed.

Little doubt can remain that this beautiful fossil is either an Acacia, or very closely allied to some of the neighbouring genera comprised in the natural group of the Mimosece. I havenbsp;therefore designated it Mimosites.

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XÜLINOSPRIONITES.

(Plate 17, figs. 43—47).

Legumes valveless, woody, two-seeded.

The pericarp of the fruits of this genus unites, in a singular manner, the characters of the legume and the drupe. The fruitnbsp;represented by figs. 43 and 44Jexhibits the normal form of thenbsp;legume, while its structoe is precisely that of the drupe. Wliennbsp;divided longitudinally, as represented in fig. 43, it is seen tonbsp;consist of a thick, bony or woody endocarpium (h, fig. 43), composed of highly-compressed cellular structure, arranged in linesnbsp;radiating from around the longitudinal axis of the fruit, and having bundles of vascular tissue running in a longitudinal directionnbsp;sparingly dispersed through it, and closely embracing the endo-cai’p. In the same specimen there is a thin sarcocarp, a portionnbsp;of which is seen at a a, fig. 43, and which, Irom the appearancenbsp;of the external surface of the pericai’p, seems to have been softnbsp;and pulpy. The epicarp is tliin and membranous. The en-docarp (a, figs. 46 and 47) in the fruit represented by figs. 45,nbsp;46, and 47, very closely resembles that of the one describednbsp;above, the cellular structure being somewhat larger in proportion.nbsp;The sarcocai'p is much thicker, as seen at b, figs. 46 and 47,nbsp;and is composed of very large cells (c, figs. 45 and 46), arranged in fines parallel to the axis of the fruit, and presentingnbsp;ever}^ appearance of having been dry and pith-like in their structure. The epicarp in this instance also is thin and membranous.nbsp;The seeds in both fruits are two in number. There is not thenbsp;slightest indication of valvular structure in either of the specimens.

I have been unable to find any fruits among the existing Lcguminosee, which agree, in all respects, with the structure ofnbsp;Xulmosprionites. The pericarp of Arachis is without valves,nbsp;and is two-seeded, hut it has not the drupaceous structure of thenbsp;fossils. Defarium is di'upaceous, but has only one seed. The

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legume of Pterocarpus glaher is somewhat reniform, and about the same size and substance as fig. 43, but it has only one seed,nbsp;and is neither drupaceous like Detarium, nor valveless likenbsp;Arachis.

XULINOSPEIONITES LATUS.

(Plate 17, figs. 43 and 44).

Legume short and broad, apex uniboiiate; epicarp rugose and mainmillated: sarcocarp thin : endocarp thick.

The specimen represented by figs. 43 and 44 is the only one of the species that I have seen. It was found on the beach, atnbsp;the parallel of Warden Church, Isle of Sheppey. Its length isnbsp;fourteen lines, its greatest width nine lines, and its extreme thickness six and a half lines. There is a shallow depression at thenbsp;base (c, fig. 43), indicating the point of attachment of the footstalk ; immediately beneath wliich there is a shght break in thenbsp;woody texture of the endocarp, through which the nourishingnbsp;vessels have, passed. The apex, as represented at d, figs. 43nbsp;and 44, is slightly umbonate.

A great part of the sm'face of tliis beautiful fruit is coated by a thin film of extraneous pyrites, but the portion of it wliichnbsp;is not thus obscured is covered with frregular corrugations, whichnbsp;are frequently teiminated by small mammillated excrescences.nbsp;The sarcocarp is thin, and has apparently been soft and pulpy.nbsp;The seeds of tliis specimen are unfortunately hollow, and thefrnbsp;internal surface is incrusted with pyrites. They ai-e separatednbsp;from each other by a tliiii plate of in-egular, compressed, cellularnbsp;structure, hut which does not exliibit any trace of the woody stmc-tm’e that characterizes the endocarp.

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XULINOSPEIONITES ZINGIBERIFORMIS.

(Plate 17, figs. 45—47).

Legume lomentaceous, irregiilar: epicarp somewhat coriaceous: sarcocarp pithy, cells very large : endocarp thick.

This singular fruit has very much the external appearance of a piece of the root of the ginger of commerce; and until it isnbsp;fractm-ed it is difficult to feel convinced of its being truly, a leguminous seed-vessel. It differs from Xulinos. latus in being distinctly lomentaceous, the septum dividing the seeds being composed of a continuation of the woody structiu'e of which thenbsp;endocarp is constructed. The epicarp, when viewed with a lensnbsp;of an inch focus, is sHghtly rugose, and has somewhat of a coriaceous appearance. The sarcocarp, at the point b, tigs. 46 andnbsp;47, is the seventeenth of an inch in thickness. Immediatelynbsp;beneath the epicarp it is composed of large, elongated, quach'an-gular cells, about the fiftieth of an inch in diameter, arranged innbsp;parallel lines, which coincide with the axis of the seed-vessel, asnbsp;represented at c, figs, 45 and 46. These cells are hollow, excepting a slight incrustation of pyrites, which uniformly coats thenbsp;whole of their internal sm'faces. The endocarp has a dense,nbsp;woody appearance, very similar to the structm-e exhibited in thenbsp;seed-vessel of a species of Hakea, a proteaceous plant from thenbsp;Swan River, Austoalia but the fossil has a greater proportionnbsp;of divergent layers interspersed in its structure.

The seed, when viewed with a lens of an inch focus, appears slightly rugose, with a few obscm-e impressions of ramifying bundles of fibrous tissue. No portion of the peduncle remains, andnbsp;it is difficult to decide with certainty which end of the seed-vessel is really the base, but there is strong reason to beheve thatnbsp;the point of attachment to the peduncle was at d, fig. 45.