THE ANDR(ECIUM IN COCHLIOSTEMA. 205 
should be in two rows, one within the other, the innermost deve- 
loped subsequently to the outer. I cannot assert positively that this 
18 not so; all that I can say is, that after examining several flowers 
lhave never been able to see that the andrceecium follows this 
course. It has always appeared to me that the three posterior 
stamens are developed at about the same period and in advance 
of the three anterior ones (figs. 6, 8, 9); at any rate, shortly after 
the petals have manifested themselves, the andrcecium may be seen 
to consist of three tubercles at the back of the flower, all three 
of about equal size, and of three anterior tubercles much smaller 
than the posterior ones, and of unequal size, the central one being 
much smaller than the other two (figs. 8, 9). The position of the 
staminal tubercles is as follows: the odd posterior stamen is 
Opposite the first-formed sepal; the two postero-lateral staminal 
tubercles are opposed to two corresponding petals. Of the three 
tubercles in the anterior part of the flower, the two lateral are 
opposite the sepals, the central one is opposite the anterior petal, 
The arrangement, then, of the stamens is quite consistent with 
their disposition in two rows formed one after the other, though, 
as before stated, I have not been able to satisfy myself that, in 
point of time, there is any such regularity of appearance. Fol- 
lowing the course of the andreecium from this point, it will be 
seen that the superior size of the three posterior staminal tubercles 
is maintained, that they become notched at the summit (figs. 10, 
11), and speedily present traces of authers. The three anterior 
tubercles, on the other hand, progress very slowly, and never form 
anthers at their summits (fig. 12). It is now evident that the two 
antero-lateral tubercles are the lateral * staminodes ” of the adult 
flower. The central tubercle is the least developed of the three ; 
in fact it often ceases to grow, so that in the adult flower it fre- 
quently happens that it is overlooked, or that it is really absent. Up 
to this time the six staminal tubercles have been distinct; but now, 
by the further growth of the entire andrecium at the base, a shal- 
low tube is formed, the margin of which bears the stamens and 
Staminodes as just described. Owing to the relatively increased 
growth on the posterior side of the flower as compared with that 
9n the anterior half, the staminal tube is much deeper on the 
former (fig. 13) than on the latter side (fig. 12) ; and it retains 
this inequality to a very marked degree in the adult flower, where. 
indeed, the three posterior stamens may be seen always inseparaie 
for nearly half their length, while the two antero-lateral stami- 
Q2 
