МЕ. W. FAWCETT ОМ A NEW SPECIES OF THONNINGIA. 241 
The four fibro-vascular bundles nearest the centre are large, more or less elliptical in 
transverse section, with the long axis, which is vertical, occupied by the cambium. The 
xylem, facing inwards, consists of narrow vessels, the ends of one vessel being often 
bent over to join another; the longitudinal walls have reticulate-porose markings; the 
transverse walls are oblique, and also have porose markings. There is neither wood- 
parenchyma, nor spiral nor annular vessels. The phloém consists of soft bast, narrow 
prosenchymatous cells, with an occasional sieve-tube occurring amongst them. The 
elements of the whole bundle, including the cambium, resemble those of Helosis, as 
described and figured by Eichler *. There are also three or four wood-vessels above and 
below the central strand. 
The smaller bundles are like the larger bundles, except, as above stated, in the opposite 
orientation of the xylem and phloém. 
In 7. sanguinea, Vahl, the bast of the four internal bundles is continuous round the 
central sclerenchymatous strand, with occasional wood-vessels here and there. 
The floral peduncle is situated laterally on the rhizome, and its origin is first indicated 
by a swelling. When the bud breaks through, the ruptured cortical parenchyma forms 
a ring, with two to six irregular short lobes—the * volva." Тһе successive transverse 
sections which I have made through the bud appear to show that it is adventitious, and 
formed in the cortical parenchyma. In the adult state the fibro-vascular bundles run 
up from the rhizome towards the peduncle, but I have not seen them actually pass from 
the one to the other. 
The peduncle is very short, so that the capitula are almost sessile on the rhizome. 14 
is smaller at the base than above, and is clothed with numerous imbricating scales. 
There are several scattered fibro-vascular bundles, some of which are arranged in an 
irregular ring midway between the centre and the periphery. 
At the very base of the peduncle, and between the insertion of the scales, an epidermis 
exists, clothed with hairs of the same kind as those on the rhizome, and with a layer of 
sclerenchymatous cells beneath it. No other sclerenchymatous cells are to be found in 
the pedunele. 
The obtuse scales are persistent, imbricate, and increase in size from the volva 
upwards, the lowest being 5-6 mm. broad and 6-8 mm. long, while the large upper 
scales are 8 mm. broad and 20 mm. long. ‘These large upper scales are linear, and 
distinet in outline from the series just below, whieh are rotundate, the lower scales 
gradually becoming lanceolate. The margins of the upper scales have a torn 
appearance. 
The scales have a single fibro-vascular bundle running up the centre through the soft- 
walled parenchyma. There is an epidermal layer of small dark-coloured cells, beneath 
which is a continuous layer of sclerenchymatous cells with walls thiekened to such a 
degree as to leave only a small cavity in the centre. Several of the subjacent cells are 
also selerenchymatous ; they occur in masses 2-, 3-, or 4-deep, forming an almost conti- 
nuous layer; frequently the wall on the inner side of such masses, adjacent to the soft- 
. walled parenchyma, is also soft-walled, just as occurs in the rhizome of Langsdorffia. 
j * Mart. Fl. Bras. fasc. 47. Balanophoreæ, p. 26, t. vi. fig. 13. 
SECOND SERIES.—BOTANY, VOL. II. 2P 
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