ON THE STEM-STRUCTURE OF lODES TOMEN- 



TELLA MIQ. AND CERTAIN OTHER 



PHYTOCRENEAE. 



BY 



B. L. ROBINSON. 



While, owing to the anomalous structure of their wood, 

 even the obscure genera of the Bignoniaceae have been the 

 subject of detailed research, the almost equally remarkable 

 group of the Fhytocreneae is anatomically known only in the 

 single genus Phytocrene. Here indeed the anomalies of the sec- 

 ondary thickening are so striking as to render a comparative 

 study of other members of the family a subject of much in- 

 terest , and the fact that no one has hitherto entered this 

 tempting field of research can only be due to the rarity of the 

 plants in question, and the difficulty in Europe of obtaining 

 proper material of them. It is therefore with feelings of par- 

 ticular obligation, that I here express my warmest thanks to 

 the Count of Solms-Laubach and Dr. Treub for the material 

 of lodes tomentella Miq., I. ovalis BL, and Natiatum herpeiicum 

 Ram. from which the following observations have been made. 

 Of the /o^e^-species just named, the material at my disposal 

 consisted of specimens from the Garden of Buitenzorg, which 

 were sent to me in alcohol. They embraced not only all sta- 

 ges in the secondary thickening up to a diameter of 1.2 cm. 

 but also furnished a number of vegetative points, which were 



Ann. Jard. Buit. Vol. VIU. 7 



