132 H. \V. KING ON THE PHYSIOLOGY OF MONSTERA DBLICIOSA. 



a yellow colour and many times larger than the anthers them- 

 selves. The pollen in this condition is as smooth, round- 

 flattened bags, pressing against one another and adhering, but 

 if isolated and moisture be applied, they immediately swell to 

 an almost spherical form. The pollen falls to the base of the 

 spadix and is collected by the spathe. At the base of the 

 spadix the pistils and stamens become aborted, the former 

 secreting a greater quantity of honey than the perfect pistil ; 

 this accumulates in globules, that trickle down the spadix 

 among the pollen collected there. It would form a ready- 

 arranged collecting spot for those bees which collect pollen for 

 the use of their young, as, in oar own country, mason bees do 

 in the making of the so-called bee-bread. And it would seem 

 possible that these pistils became aborted by their continued 

 non-excitement by foreign pollen, through the accumulation of 

 the plant's own pollen, preventing its access to the pistils. 



The upper surface of the stigma consists of conical-shaped 

 cells, pointed at the free growing extremity, pale in tint towards 

 the periphery, but as they approach the centre assuming a dark- 

 brown colour. The cells beneath the epidermis are almost 

 colourless and much more loosely arranged, in consequence of 

 which they vary in the outline, being near the centre of an 

 oblong shape, but as they recede from the axis they become 

 oval, and at places where the side pressure of growth is not so 

 great they retain their almost spherical form. Apparently 

 coursing indiscriminately through this cellular tissue are a 

 number of woody fibre cells which attain to very large dimen- 

 sions in this part of the plant, particularly in the mature con- 

 dition, when they probably act an important part in conveying 

 fluid, at the same time forming strengthening bands binding the 

 cellular tissue together. Through the intercellular spaces the 

 ramifications of the laticiferous tissue may be seen divided and 

 subdivided in all directions. From the base or point of attach- 

 ment of the pistil to the rachis at the position e (Fig. 8, Plate 

 VII.), spiral vessels may be traced through the cellular structure 

 being surrounded by bands of woody fibre of a smaller and 

 narrower kind than those independently distributed through 

 the cellular tissue. 



It would seem that cells start with a certain formative energy 

 which impels the development of the cell until its utmost 



