440 Traiisactions. 



other. It would seem that the purple tubercles give rise to the female 

 spadices, and the orange to the male. They certainly present similar ap- 

 pearances to what are seen in the complete flowers. 



The female peduncle is usually shorter than the male, but each varies 

 in size according to conditions of growth and development. The pistillate 

 flowers surround each spadLx. They are very small, are less numerous 

 below, and increase in number upwards, although fewer seeds mature at 

 the top than below. The flower is of two parts, forming a closely fitting 

 perianth as the ends appear above the ovary, and, like the pistil, are per- 

 manent, and can be seen in the ripened fruit, as illustrated in Plate XXXII, 

 fig. 2. The lower part of the perianth is pale yellow, the upper purple, 

 as are likewise the style and stigma. As the seed ripens the ovary swells 

 somewhat, and when ripe the yellow part has changed to a bluish-green, 

 that passes above into a deep purple. This has reference to the perianth 

 only, for when the covering is removed a tiny nut of a deep-purple colour 

 is seen, and within this nut there occurs a white structu.reless substance 

 like wax. 



The male or staminate flowers have a peduncle that is similar to that 

 of the female, except that it is larger, as are likewise the scales. As the 

 flower expands the scales are symmetrical, and the whole when fully de- 

 veloped is ringent and not unlike a small dahlia (Plate XXXII, fig. 1). The 

 colour of the surrounding scales varies from a straw-yellow in ths outer 

 whorl to a deep orange with purple stripes in the case of the petal-like scales 

 that surround the spadices. The latter vary in number from 16 to 28. 

 About each spadix staminate flowers wind from left to right. The} are 

 connected with the spadix by short filamentary attachments. Each stami- 

 nate flower is of a yellowish-grey colour, fleshy, and presenting the ap- 

 pearance of a tiny disc, with a deep depression running from top to bottom. 

 The pollen appears to be developed along the margin of the anther, and is 

 abundant. As soon as the spadices are fully developed the scales fall back, 

 and the flower eventually dies down and falls off. 



The flowering takes place between February and April. Until Easter 

 Monday, 1907, I had not seen a male flower in full bloom. Plate XXXII, 

 fig. 1, shows a male flower just opening. As the development of the flower 

 proceeds the scales droop, and the spadices present a straggling appearance. 



I have made numerous experiments both with rhizomes and seed, but 

 up to the present time the results have not been satisfactory. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES XXX-XXXII. 



Plate XXX. 



Fig. L Dactylanthus ; root of host, and parasites forming like small tubers. 

 Fig. 2. Root of host, showing mode of attachment of jiarasite. 



Plate XXXI. 



Fig. 1. Dactylanthus flowers growing on a bank. 



Fig. 2. Flowers (female), showing attachment to root. 



Plate XXXII. 



Fig. 1. Male Dactylanthu-i flower unfolding. 



Fig. 2. Flowers — male, female — and fruit : o, staminate spadix ; b, pistillate spadix ; 

 c, ripe seeds from b. 



