54 FERTILISATION OF EUPOMATIA LAURINA, R.Br. 



But a careful study of the structure of the stamens and methods 

 of fertilisation in other plants of the Anonacese might reveal 

 something of the line of evolution. It is the only plant of the 

 Order with which I am acquainted; but on reading over the 

 descriptions of the species of Ancaiia, PolyaWiia, and Melodorum 

 in Moore and Betche's " Handbook of the Flora of New South 

 Wales," I found that in all these genera the connective of the 

 anther is described as broad and flattened, concealing the cells. 

 Here there may be a clue to the line of development. Might I 

 draw the attention of botanists in Queensland and on our 

 northern rivers to the desirability of observing the fertilisation of 

 E. Bennettil In this species the staminodes do not completely shut 

 the disc up. It would be interesting to know if the same insect 

 is concerned in the fertilisation, or an allied species. 



The beetle (Fig. 10) which is to be described as a species of 

 EUf'Sclwdrs by the Rev. T. Blackburn in the next Volume 

 of the Proc. Roy. Soc. of S.A. is one of the Curculionidte 

 belonging to the group Elleschides It is about 2 mm. in length, 

 and possesses many adaptations to the flower. Thus it is pro- 

 vided with spurs on the inner aspect of the tibiae of the two front 

 pairs of legs, and a comb-like series of points along the tibite 

 whei'e the tarsi ai-e attached. These enable it to cling to the 

 slippery surface of the staminodes and give it a tirm hold as it 

 forces its way into the head of the flower. From its hairiness, it 

 is well adapted to carry the pollen from one flower to another 

 and thus to ensure cross-fertilisation. 



References. 



(1) Brown, R. — Miscellaneous Botanical Writings, Vol. i. p. 74. 



(2) ,, ,, — Botany of Terra Australis, p. 65; Atlas, t. 2. 



(3) Bennett, Dr. G— Gatherings of a Naturalist, p. 363. 



(4) Curtis— Botanical Magazine, Vol. 81, t. 4848. 



(5) Wall.\ce, a. R. — Tropical Nature, p. 35. 



