158 



TWIN NUTMEG SEEDS. 



On a tree of the Xntmcg, Mi/iistica fragrans. TJnu., o;rowing- 

 in the Botanic Gardens, Singapore,, one fruit in ahout a thousand 

 has heen found with two seeds. The seeds, each wrapped in its 

 mace, had flattened each other so as to l)e completely scaphoid. 

 They stood arising from the base of the ovary with their raphes op- 

 posed. It is not known if such a condition has been oliserved in 

 the Myristicaceae ; but for two seeds to stand similarly is normal in 

 some genera of the allied order Anonaceae. 



I. H. BURKILL. 



DIOSCOREA ALATA, THE GREATER YAM, 

 RACE No. 50. 



On p. 131 of the last issue of this Bulletin it was stated that 

 a particularly large tuber of the "White Manila Yam, Gardens' Xo. 

 50, had been raised in Singapore by Mrs. AV. E. Hooper. The 

 opportunity is here taken of figuring it along with some other yams, 

 the figure being the topmost of the three u]Don the accompanying 

 plate. The tuber weighed 29 lbs. or 13.16 kilograms after lieing 

 nine months in the ground. 



The measure encircling the tuber is in inches. 



I. H. BURKILL. 



DIOSCOREA KEGELIANA, GRISEB., THE YAM 

 POULE OF THE WEST INDIES. 



Dioscorva l-egeliana is a yam of only slight utilit\', found wild 

 in the island of Trinidad and in British Guiana. Its tuber is a 

 curious disc-like ])ody at the end of a slender root, with a surface 

 thickened in lozenges just as in the South African T estudinaria, 

 so as to present the appearance of the shell of a tortoise. The 

 opportunity is taken here of figuring it on account of its botanic 

 interest. 



It lies horizontally in the soil and produces abundant secondary 

 roots from its surface. Its flesh is scarcely fit for human food, but 

 in the West Indies is said to be fed to pigs. 



I. H. BURKILL. 



