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 PLANTS JAVANICiE RARI0RES. 593

inner membrane, while in the valve of the straight capsule the vertically elongated stratum has a manifest inner cover- ing, consisting of transversely elongated cells, which no doubt counteract the tendency to torsion of the longitudinal fibres. But the transversely elongated cells are found in the inflected or placentiferous portion of the elongated capsule, both in the twisted and straight-fruited genera; and their function here seems to be to determine the invo- lution or revolution of the ovuliferous margin, which in these fruits is probably necessary for the protection of the seeds even after dehiscence.

The more remarkable differences in placentation are almost always important : thus, in many genera the ovula are produced on the inner surface of the margin only; in others both surfaces are equally productive : and in some, the production, instead of being confined to the marginal region, extends over the whole of the inflected and included portion of the carpel.

The seeds are generally pendulous, but in a few genera, as Epitfiema and Loxocarjous, erect ; and in some others they vary in pericarpial direction, according to their dif- ferent heights in the same placenta. They are always minute, generally oval, oblong, or nearly cylindrical, and inserted at or very near one extremity; in most cases sessile, or nearly so, but in a few furnished with a very long and extremely slender funiculus.

Although the ovulum is anatropous, there is no apparent raphe in the ripe seed. The capillary appendages existing in some cases at both extremities of the seed vary consider- ably in number and form in that genus where they are most remarkable, namely JEschynanthus, in which, as well as in Agalmyla, and probably in Tromsdorffia, they are mere appendages, performing no other function; but in Lysionotus the upper hair in the pendulous seed is in reality its funiculus or attenuated base.

The integument of the ripe seed is, in most cases, appa- rently simple ; but in a few, especially JKsc7iynantfiics, the inner membrane is easily separable from the testa.

Before the complete ripening of the seed, the semifluid

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