NOTE ON AGARICUS OSTREATUS. 73 



of the size of normal ones from well-grown fruit. I saved a large num- 

 ber of them," intending to try whether they would germinate ; but they were 

 lost in the hurry of my transfer. 



I now show three small specimens of the fruit of the same tree which I 

 have had sent to me. The largest measures six inches in circumference. 

 I also present a rough sketch of the tree drawn in April last. 



I imagined this curious occurrence to be almost unique ; for its possi- 

 bility was hitherto unknown to me, though I have seen much of Papaya 

 cultivation for some years. I find, however, that the fact is noted by 

 Roxburgh in the Flora Indica, 1832, where he mentions two instances, and 

 states that the same is common at Malacca. 



Botanical class books and other authorities which I have examined do 

 not mention the matter. There seem to be two varieties of Papaya, one 

 producing rather globular, and the other citron-shaped, fruit of much larger 

 size and superior quality. Fertility of soil may, however, possibly account 

 for this and for the strange " variation " to which I have drawn attention. 



G. BAINBRIDUE. 



ON ABNORMAL DEVELOPMENT IN MUSA SAPIENTUM. 

 By Surgeon K. R. Kirtikar, I.M.D. 



Read on 1st September 1885 before the Botanical Section. 



I submit a photographic print* of an abnormal development of the 

 flowerstalk of Musa Sapientum (Banana) growing in a garden on Girgaum 

 Back Road, Bombay. The drooping spike, after having thrown out two or 

 three clusters of flowers in the axils of the first two or three purple fleshy 

 bracts, sub-divides and thus forms two spikes instead of a single central. 

 The primary spike remains thicker than the secondary stalk, as the divi- 

 sion of the spike is not strictly dichotomous. The secondary grows longer 

 and sub-divides again. The primary also, after throwing a few more clusters 

 of flowers, sub-divide again into two spikelets. Thus, there are four spike- 

 lets instead of one spike. The final or apical buds, sheathed in their pur- 

 ple bracts, still remain, with a few abortive flowers. I call these " abortive " 

 flowers, because they never turn into the fruit called banana or plantain, but 

 open and die, 



NOTE ON AGARICUS OSTREATUS. 



The Fungus described by Dr. Dymock in his Vegetable Materia Medica 

 of Western India (p. 704, 1st Edition) is called Phanasamba in Marathi 

 and named by him as Agaricus ostreaius. Agaricus ostreatus often does 

 grow onjackfruit tree. But on examining genuine specimens of what 

 is usually gathered and sold and used under the name of Phanasamba, it ap- 

 pears to be a Polyporus and not an Agaricus. (See Badham's Esculent 



* A water-colour drawing from the same has since been presented by Surgeon Kirtikar 

 to the Society, of which a lithographic priut accompanies this, 



