A most extraordinary remark is subjoined by Professor Giseke at p. 354 ; that " Alsine media and Holosteent umbellatum are one and the same plant," and that " Linnaeus had no specimen of the former in his herbarium in the year 1771." Swartz is cited in confirmation, who only says in his Obs. Bot. 118, that this Alsine is a species of Holosteum. We trust it is better referred to Stellaria in Flo. Brit., and we can affirm that an authentic specimen of this common plant, which Linnaeus had when he published the first edition of Sp. Pl., in 1753, still exists in his collection. The real Holosteum umbel latum, a rare English plant, is well delineated in Engl. Bot. t. 27.
Order 23. TRIHILAT1E. " So called from its three-celled, and three-grained fruit, for all the cells are distinct. Melia however has five cells. The calyx in this order is either of four or five leaves, or of one leaf in five deep segments. Petals four or five. Stamens eight or ten. Pistil one. One part of the fructification is often diminished as to number, for instance the petals ; and when they become but four, the stamens are only eight. A nectary is al ways present ; hence the corolla is frequently irre gular. The leaves are disposed to be compound, and are both opposite and alternate. The whole order scarcely contains any thing acrid, except Tropero lum, nor any thing either fragrant or noxious ; on the other hand, the Tricoccee, properly so called, are highly poisonoui." The first section consists of Melia, Trichilia, Gua rea and Turraa • to which Linnaeus has added, from his 54th or miscellaneous order, Cedrela and Swiete nia. The second is composed of Malpighia, Ban nisteria, Hircea, Triopteris, Acer and Aesculus. Linnaeus was inclined to bring hither, from his 14th order, the genus Fagonia, because of the likeness of its flower to Malpighia, but he found a difficulty in the five cells of its fruit. A third section consists of Staphylea, Sapindus, Paulinia, Cardiospermurn and Tropreolum ; to which Hippocratea is added in ma nuscript, and a question subjoined, Whether Stephy lea be not akin to Celastrus? Cavanilles has added many new genera to this order, but he is surely complimented to excess by the editor of the Pre. kctiones.
remarkable in its throat, and uniform in that respect throughout the genus, but the various species differ widely in their fruit ; which in some, as officinalis, &c. contains a solitary seed ; in capnoides, claviculate, &c. it is a genuine pod; in vesicaria a large inflated capsule." Monnieria and Melianthus, (two very puzzling genera), were thought by Linnaeus to be nearly related to each other, though differing from the order under consideration, in having several cap stales, and a calyx in five deep divisions. But he judged the ringent corolla of Monnieria to betray an affinity to Fumaria ; while the nectary of Me lianthus is similar to that of Monnieria, the combin ed stamens of the latter being exactly those of Fu maria. Hence a relationship is traced between Me lianthus and this order, which, but for Monnieria, could not have been suspected.
" There is a certain fragility and delicacy of tex ture characteristic of the Corydales, with a glaucous hue, which points out their affinity ; as well as a bitter flavour. Scarcely any of the order are odori ferous, except Melianthus, which is extremely foetid." Linnaeus professes his inability to point out any exclusive mark of distinction for this order. " The leaves indeed are alternate in all, Calceolaria ex cepted; and many bear stipules. Their mode of flowering is spiked, racemose, or solitary, their stalk naked er leafy, different in different species. All that we are acquainted with are smooth and unarm ed ; a very few of them climbing by means of ten drils. Melianthus and Monnieria only are shrubby. All the tribe prefer shady, moist situations, where the soil is not disturbed." (Some however grow in cultivated ground, as the Fumitories.) " The Melianthus, a Cape plant, produces more honey than any other plant, so that a tea-spoon full may be collected every morning, from each of its numerous flowers. But the offensive odour" (of the bruised plant) " indicates a poisonous quality, as in Cimictfuga." Order 25. PUTAMuNzn. On this order, named from the strong rind of the fruit in several instances, there is no commentary in the Prielectiones, nor any manuscript note in the Gen. Pl. The genera are Cleome, Cratreva, Morisona, Cappari s ; Crescentia and Marcgravia being added with hesitation. Ta nacium of Swartz, and Possira of Aublet, which last is Rittera of Schreber, are subjoined by Giseke.