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УП. On the Growth of the Flower-stalk of the Hyacinth. By Атғкер W. BENNETT, 
M.A., B.Sc., F. L.S., Lecturer on Botany at St. Thomas's Hospital. 
Read March 16th, 1876. 
IN a paper which I had the honour of reading before the Society at its meeting on 
November 4th, 1875, I gave some details in respect of the remarkably rapid growth of 
the flower-stalk of the female flower of Vallisneria spiralis. The general results arrived 
at were that the greatest “ Energy of Growth” was displayed by the apical portion 
of the peduncle or that immediately beneath the flower-bud, the energy apparently 
decreasing regularly towards the base of the flower-stalk. As this appeared to be opposed 
to the law stated by Sachs and others to govern the rate of growth of the different 
successive internodes of an aerial stem, I was anxious to ascertain how far it was in 
aecord with the relative rapidity of growth of different portions of a single elongated 
aerial internode. Гог this purpose I have taken the earliest opportunity during the present 
spring of measuring the growth of the common peduncle of the inflorescence of the 
Hyacinth, with the following results in two specimens, one grown in a hyacinth-glass, 
the other in soil in a pot. 
Specimen А, grown in a hyacinth-glass. 
This was first measured at noon on Feb. 23rd, when the peduncle, with a total length 
of 1:25 in., was divided into two equal portions of 0:625 in. At 10 А.м. on the 26th, 
when it had increased to 1:55 in., each of the two sections was again divided, the length 
of the four portions, proceeding from above downwards, being 0:35, 0:4, 0-4, and 0-4 in. 
Measurements were made twice and sometimes three times a day; and it was soon 
evident that the energy of growth of these different portions was very unequal. By 
10 р.м. on Feb. 29th each of the three uppermost portions was still only 0°5 in. long, 
whilst the lowest had increased to 1:0 in. From this time the increased rapidity of 
growth of the lowest portion was still more marked. By 10 r.m. on March 5th the 
lengths were respectively 0-9, 0-9, 0°85, and 2°35 in., and at 10 р.м. on March 11th, when 
the growth had finally ceased, the measurements were 1:15, 1:0, 1:0, and 3:45 in., making 
à total of 6:6 in. The following is a complete table of the measurements :— 
A B C D Total. Increase. 
Fob. Теке "35 4 4 4 1:55 
19 e 0. "85 4 4 4 е 05 
Юри. 85 4 4 5 1-65 :05 
nh, Ти... 4 4 4 -55 1:75 1 
о. 4 4 4 -55 1:75 | 
28th, 10 a.m. . 45 4 + "65 1-9 15 
Зи an 45 4 4 vfi 1:95 -05 
