385 
The embryo of Lepidium Virginicum has its cotyledons twisted 
So as to be erroneously described in the books as accumbent; 
something similar occurs in Sesymorium officinale. In these cases 
the adjoining seeds have the embryos twisted in contrary direc- 
tions, so that the apparent anomalies are explained as cases of 
Pronounced antidromy. Whilst the pericarp of akenes follows 
the torsion of the enclosed seed, capsular pericarps seem to 
follow the phyllotaxy of the mother plant; thus the pods of 
mesquit (Prosopis) are similarly twisted in the same plant, as are 
those of Medicago, those of balsam (Impatiens fulva and I. bal- 
samina) spring open with a right or left twist in harmony with the 
dextral or sinistral phyllotaxy of the bearing plant. 
Amongst the peculiar cases that occurred was that of Saéix 
Babylonica, of which only the female plants are known; and con- 
Sequently there is no reproduction by seed, and we expected to 
find no antidromy. Specimens growing about Princeton appear 
to be sinistral in their phyllotaxy, and as tradition derives 
them from the tree growing by Napoleon’s grave at St. Helena 
the inference arises that the St. Helena willow also was sinistral. 
This inference is confirmed by a young tree in Forest Park, at 
Springfield, which Mr. Barney knows to have come from St. He- 
lena. But other specimens of the same species with dextrat phyl- 
lotaxy are common. Thus we learn that whilst all representatives 
of the male line of this species have probably perished, there are 
at least two independent branches of the female line perpetuated 
by cuttings, 
Another interesting case is that of Canna. The leaves of all 
the Specimens which I have found at Northampton, Mass., and at 
Princeton, are when young spirally folded, right flap uppermost, 
and when expanded have a slightly dextral phyllotaxy. I am 
told that this is usually propagated from bulbs; but that it is 
sometimes grown from seeds; if this last statement be true we 
should expect individuals of both castes; but I have been unable 
to find any except the one caste (even a second variety bearing 
reddish leaves is by coincidence of the same cast as the common 
One). Doubtless the other caste occurs through the country. 
The scape or flower-stalk of Canva may cast light on the 
a Structure of Gramineae. Whilst all the foliage leaves of the Canna 
Re ne 
