Mr. Dickie on Viviparous Plants. 



299 



fleshy scales, which are concavo-convex, the concavities being 

 towards each other. (Fig. 3.) Frequently there is found in- 

 closed between these a small club-shaped body (fig. 4.) en- 

 tirely composed of cellular tissue, and bearing on its surface 

 numerous small glandular bodies. Most of these last when 

 highly magnified bear no small resemblance to certain young 

 ovules, each resembling a small cup, in the mouth of which a 

 nucleus is seen ; figs. 6. J, are other forms of these. The 

 fleshy scales are of a pink or purple colour, and consist of a 



tough membrane inclosing cellular tissue which abounds with 

 starch. In the midst of this tissue there is a central column 

 (fig. 8.) composed of condensed cellular tissue, and some of 

 the cells are remarkable for their purple colour ; no vessels of 

 any kind could be detected. 



The general structure is therefore very similar to that of the 

 gemmae of Polygonum ; in the bulbs of the Saxifrage there is 

 however no bud at the apex, and true vessels are also absent. 



No opportunity has been afforded of observing the manner 

 in which the gemmae of Polygonum grow when detached from 

 the parent, but I have examined specimens of the bulbs of the 

 Saxifrage in the progress of growth while still attached to the 

 plant. Numerous delicate cellular roots are thrown out from 

 the surface, but chiefly toward the narrow extremity ; the cen- 

 tral column already described is the part which produces the 

 young plant ; it increases in size, bursts the membrane, and 

 after some time acquires a green colour. 



The Saocifraga foliolosa (Brown in Parry) is remarkable for 

 the absence of perfect flowers, instead of which small round 

 fasciculi of leaves are found on the stem. Specimens of this 

 plant were given to me by Mr. W. Maitland, surgeon to one 

 of the whaling vessels ; the bulbs were carefully dissected after 



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