DR. M. T. MASTEES 0:N" THE MOEPIIOLOGT OF THE MALVALES. 23 



that genus, and probably in others, there are really two or more 

 rows of stamens ; and I may here remark that, in 3falo_pe, the sta- 

 mens, after the shedding of the pollen, arrange themselves in vertical 

 ranks, a pair of which alternate with the petals and present an 

 arrangement precisely similar to that of the stamens in the bud of 

 Glossostemoiij where opposite each sepal, and therefore between 

 two petals, the stamens may be seen arranged in two vertical 

 ranks, eacli rank consisting of three stamens one above the other, 

 so as to give an impression at first siglit as if there were three 

 rows of stamens : the arrangement in Glossoste7non may be repre- 

 sented as follows : — 



s s s s s 



p P p p p 



st st st st . st st st st st st 



st st st st st st st st st st 

 st st st st st st st st st st 



X X X X X 



From tbis it will be seen tbat the three anthers on each side of 

 the petal belong to two different groups ; and, after macerating 

 the flow^er of Glossostemon, tbe staminode may be readily sepa- 

 rated with the three fertile stamens on each side of it; and owing 

 to the revolution of the margins, as before stated, the anther- 

 bearing fi.laments, or some of them, appear to be on a plane 

 external to that of the staminode. It may here further be re- 

 marked that the nervation of the staminode with the stamens 

 attached to, or ratber branching from it, and that of the petals is 

 identical ; in botli instances there is a prominent midrib with three 

 smaller ribs on each side of if; in the petal these six lateral ribs 

 converge towards the acuminate end, and are connected together 

 by intervening cellular tissue, while in the stamen the central rib 

 alone is covered with cellular tissue, forming the staminode, the 

 six lateral ribs being free, divergent, and surmounted by anthers. 

 The carpels of Glossostemon are five in number, so that the entire 

 floral arrangement may be represented by the following for- 

 mula, c denoting the carpels : 



s • s s s s 



p p p p p 



3stsx3sts 3stsx3sts 3stsx3sts 3stsx3sts 3stsx3sts 



c c c c c 



The illustrations given will apply to most of the modifications 

 presented by the petals and stamens in the group Malvales ; and 

 in order to explain them, it is desirable to have recourse not only 



