ON THE FERTIIJZATION OF GOODENIA 

 HEDERACEA. (Sm.) 



By Alex G. Hamilton, Esq. 



Plate XXI. 



My attention was drawn to this subject by reading Mr. Haviland's 

 paper on Goodenia ovata, in the Society's Pi^oceedings for June, 

 1884, and I examined a large number of specimens of G. hederacea 

 in all stages of growth, to ascertain if the method of fertilization 

 was similar to that described by Mr. Haviland (i.e. ), accomplished 

 by insects, or other extraneous means. 1 have so far, collected the 

 following plants of the Goodeniacece in this (the Mudgee) district ; 

 G. hederacea, G. heteromera, G. paniculata, Velleia faradoxa, F. 

 macrocalyx, and Damjnera stricta. Of these V. paradoxa, V. 

 macrocalyx ana the species under consideration are very generally 

 distributed over the district ; but the others are local in occurrence, 

 G. heteromera being only found in scattered patches on the banks 

 of the Cudgegong River, and G. paniculata and Dampiera stricta 

 being confined to sandstone at the head of Cooyal Creek and on the 

 Goodaman Range. 



I have selected G. hederacea for experiment on account of its 

 being plentiful in my immediate neighbourhood. 



On taking a very young bud, and carefully removing the calyx 

 and corolla, so as to expose the style, filaments and anthers, we 

 find the anthers, five in number, a little longer than the style and 

 closely clustered round it ; the style itself is in a rudimentary 

 condition as regards the indusium which is represented by a slight 

 shelf on the front and back of the flattened termination of the 

 style. The superior surface of this flattened part is the stigma 

 (see fig. 1). Taking a slightly older bud, w^e notice no alteration 



