I am not aware that such an economy has hitherto been described; I have observed it, however, in several plants belonging to very different families, and of essentially different structures.
The first of these is Leontice thalictroides of Linnæus, Caulophyllum thalictroides of Michaux, who has founded his new genus on a difference of fruit, the nature of which he has entirely misunderstood. It is remarkable that its real structure should have escaped so accurate an observer as M. Richard, through whose hands it is generally understood Michaux's work passed previous to its publication; but the fact may at least serve to show how entirely unexpected such an economy must have been even to that excellent carpologist.
My observations were made in the summer of 1812, on a
plant of Leontice thalictroides, which flowered and ripened
fruit in the royal gardens at Kew. An examination of the
unimpregnated ovarium proved it to be in every respect of
the same structure with that of the other species of Leontice;
and essentially the same with the whole order of Berberides,
to which this genus belongs. A careful inspection of the
fruit, in different states, proved also that the "Drupa stipitata" of Michaux is in reality a naked seed, that in a very
early stage had burst its pericarpium, the withered re- [146
mains of which were in most cases visible at the base of the
ripe seed. The first error of Michaux naturally led to a
series of mistakes; and the naked seed being considered by
him as a drupa, the albumen, which is of a horny texture,
is described as a "nux cornea crassissima," and the embryo
itself as the seed.
But although this account of the fruit of Leontice thalictroides be in no respect similar to that given by Michaux, it may perhaps be considered by some as still differing sufficiently from Leontice to authorise the establishment of a distinct genus; and that, therefore, the name Caulopliyllum may be retained, and its character derived from the remarkable circumstance described, namely, the early rupture of its pericarpium. I believe, however, it will be found more expedient to reduce it again to Leontice.
