86 L o e w , Tlie uectaiy and tlie sterile stamen of Peiitastenion etc. 



staminal base was to bo observed with little variations. By 

 meaiis of „Eau de Javelle" I dissolved tho contents of tlie de- 

 cayed cells in the dried dark-coloured lierbarium-specimens and 

 witliout difficiilty I conkl discern the glandulär trichoms from 

 the surrounding tissue. Tho same treatment was appUed to the 

 study of the whole flower. 



Grreat astonislinient was excited in nie by a peculiar struc- 

 ture in the stamens of P. cord/folius and otlier species belonging 

 to the subdivision Fruticosij to which group the eminent observer 

 Asa Grray in liis arrangement of Peiifastemon has attributed 

 iilaments „all bearded or pubescent at base." 



I give here briefly the results tili now obtained by me 

 upon the different species of the above nained group as follows. 



1. P. cordifolius Benth. — Specim. collect, by S. B. and 

 W. F. Parish on the San Bernardino Mts. (Calif.)! — 



Tube of corolla '20min long, 5 — 8mni wide, filaments up- 

 wards not curved as in P. MpuziPsii and alliod species, but 

 crowded together to a straight bündle, all 4 dilated at the 

 base and bordered with acute rigid unicellular trichoms 

 as they occur on honey-protecting organs, the stamino- 

 dium 16mm long, also dilated at base and fringed there with 

 stiff trichoms and a brush of hairs on its end. The lioney- 

 glands 011 the filaments are wanting. Honey is probably 

 secreted either by the diso beneath the ovary or by the base 

 of the corolla and protected by the stifßy bearded and dilated 

 base of the 4 filaments and the staminodium. By tliis means 

 the whole arrangement of the honey-secreting and protecting 

 Organs differs considerably from tliat in other species. — Perhaps 

 ornithophilous. ^) 



2. P. ternatus Torr. — Spec. coli, by S. B. and W. F. Parish 

 011 the San Bernardino Mts. (Calif.)! — 



Corolla tubulär, according to Asa Gray equally 4 - cleft, 

 about 29mm long and 4 — 5 mm wide, the straightly directed 

 iilaments and the bearded staminodium are inserted at a very 

 great distance above the base of the corolla, all 4 equally 

 dilated at base and set with rows of stiff protecting 

 hairs, which are continued on the inferior ground of the corolla 

 into 5 doubled lines of hairs nearly as in Basselia s-armenfosa 

 Jacq. The honey-glands on the filaments are absolutely 

 wanting. The structure of the flower resembles the foregoing 

 one, yet it has its own very striking features. — Perhaps or- 

 nithophilous. 



3. P. hrevißorus Li ndl. — Spec. coli, by Marc. E. Jones in 

 California 1882! — Corolla short, 12 — 19 mm long, 6 — 7 mm wide, 

 after Asa Grray with a ringent limb, the staminodium reduced 

 to a thin naked thread without function, the filaments of 



1) The scarlet liowers of F. Bridgem and barhatus are visited after 

 the observations of Alice J. Meritt in California by trochilids (see Eryth. 

 5 : 19-21. 1897.) 



