208 NOTES AND EXHIBITS. 



tinct species, as he records it as a Queensland plant in his "Com- 

 prehensive Catalogue of Queensland Plants" (p. 604, 1909). P. 

 globoideu7n and P. gracile R.Br., appear to be closely allied, and 

 should be classed under the subgenus Paurochcetium. 



Mr. A. A.. Hamilton showed specimens of Phlox (perennial) 

 Hort.var. (Sydney, Botanic Gardens; W. M. Carne; February, 

 1915) showing prolification of the inflorescence accompanied by 

 virescence. In the initial stage, a loss of colour in the flower is 

 noted, with exceptional mortality among the buds; later, most of 

 the flowers have lost their colour, the corolla-tube is reduced in 

 length, the stamens are dilated and have lost their fertility, and 

 the ovary is attenuated. In the third stage, the corolla-tube 

 has disappeared, and the lobes have separated into distinct seg- 

 ments; the stamens, which in the normal plant are situated in 

 the throat of the corolla-tube and are nearly sessile, have de- 

 veloped lengthy filaments, and are seated on the base of the 

 corolla segments; the ovary is reduced to a callosity at the top 

 of the peduncle, from which supernumerary flowers emerge. In 

 the final stage, the whole of the floral organs are reduced to a 

 whorl of leaves, the floral character of those representing the 

 corolla being indicated by an abortive attempt at coloration. — 

 Cardnus lanceolatus Linn., (The Manager, A.J.S. Bank; Armi- 

 dale; January, 1905) showing prolification of the inflorescence, 

 accompanied 1 'y fasciation and spiral torsion. A series of flower- 

 heads are seen spirally arranged on several united, dilated, 

 twisted stems. The strain of the contortion of the capitula has 

 displaced the spines on the involucral bracts to such an extent 

 as to make them appear reversed. 'J'he stigmas of the female 

 florets are infertile, and the achenes attenuated and abortive. — 

 Podocarpus spinulosa R.Br., (T. D. Mutch; Manly; February, 

 1915) showing multiplication of seeds. Dr. Masters (Vegetable 

 Teratology, p.36^) says : multiplication of seeds is not a common 

 occurrence in plants in which the number of seeds is normally 

 small, and he remarks that it is usually noted in conjunction 

 with some change, such as a foliaceous condition of the carpels. 

 In this case, there is normally but one seed, to which, in some 



[Printed off, I2th June, 191.5.] 



