198 THE PLANT WORLD 



as long as the cotyledons and a thick caudicle a little shorter. The seeds 

 seem to show for the genus a greater aberrance from the other Crescenti- 

 aceae than is shown in any other character. Those of the other genera 

 are very similar to the seeds of Bignoniaceae except that the wings are 

 lacking. But one would hesitate to assign to Amphitecna, Bignoniaceous 

 affinities from the seeds alone. 



The plant was collected on Sepacuite, a large coffee finca belonging 

 to Messrs. Owen and Champney, located a few miles northeast of Senaju, 

 at an altitude of about three thousand feet above sea level. It is one of 

 the plants of the undergrowth of the deep forest, growing where sun- 

 light never penetrates, and managing to get along on the subdued light 

 filtered through the branches above. It grows, however, luxuriantly in 

 the clearings, where it gets the full benefit of sunlight. 



The plate shows flowers, fruit, and a portion of a leaf natural size. 



The Ways of the Zinnia. 



By Mrs. F. L. Marble. 



The study of seeds and the early development of plants is always full 

 of interest. These observations become more effective with the aid of a 

 microscope. 



Let us consider the Zinnia and its peculiar ways. Being a composite, 

 each Zinnia blossom is composed of many tiny flowers. These are of two 

 kinds — the ray-flowers, forming the bright fringe about the edge of the 

 blossom, and the disk flowers, which compose its center. Just as the 

 flowers composing a Zinnia blossom are of two kinds, so are the seeds of 

 two kinds. The ray-flowers produce seed after their kind, and the disk- 

 flowers follow the habits of their ancestors. Just as the tiny flowers grew 

 side by side to make a Zinnia blossom, so the seeds cluster on the dry, 

 cone-shaped head. The seeds are not large, and it is tedious to pick 

 them from the chaff. However, the seeds of the ray-flowers still cling to 

 the faded, petal-like straps, so they can be found with little trouble. The 

 seeds of the disk-flowers cluster close to the heart of the blossom. The 

 disks are apt to drop off early, making these seeds harder to find in the 

 midst of the abundant chaff. 



Each seed is contained in an akene, or outer covering, consisting of 

 a shell-like surface with the softest of silky linings to come next to the 

 seed. In these akenes lies the individuality of the seeds. 



The akene of the ray-flower is long and slender. It has three fine 

 obtruding ribs, which are outlined with feather-like hairs. After it has 



