408 TRELEASE— THE DESERT GROUP NOLINE^. [April 21, 



The sometimes slightly fragrant^^ polygamo-dioecioiis flowers 

 are borne on slender pedicels never greatly exceeding their own 

 length, which are always distinctly jointed, usually about the 

 middle. Though the flowers are small, their at first petaloid, then 

 scarious-persistent distinct entire or toothed segments are usually 

 whitish, though more or less tinged with green, violet, rose or 

 cream — a coloration supported by the usual whiteness of the scari- 

 ous bractlets and, often, by similarly colored large bracts. The 

 small elliptical anthers are introrsely versatile, their filaments 

 slightly adnate to the base of the perianth segments. Three connate 

 carpels, with typically two anatropous basal ovules each, constitute 

 the pistil which is i- or 3-celled in different genera. The stigmas 

 are essentially apical, on more or less free and divergent style tips in 

 Nolina, crowning the rather narrowed ovary in Beaiicarnea, along 

 the rim of a distinct funnel-like though sometimes cleft style in 

 Dasylirion, or as sessile points in Calibaiins (pi. 8). 



Essentially unisexual and often dioecious, the flowers are perfect 

 in plan ; and abortive stamens are found in the fertile flowers, and 

 more or less recognizable rudimentary pistils in those that are 

 functionally staminate. In fertile flowers nectar is secreted by small 

 septal nectar-slits in the base of the pistil, — often very evident after 

 this has enlarged into a fruit (pi. p) ; and in staminate flowers it is 

 the rudiments of the carpels that perform the same function.-* 



Though prevailingly 3-merous, the flowers may show deviation 

 from this pattern. Preda^' noted that about one-fifth of the flowers 

 of a pistillate plant of Dasylirion glaucnm were 4-merous ; and in 

 examining large numbers of the fruits of this genus I have observed 

 2-, 4- or 5-winged fruits of several species and one 4-carpellary fruit 

 of Calibaitus (pi. 11). Several observers have found that partly 

 developed fruits may occur now and then on staminate plants® ; my 

 own observation shows that well developed stamens may be found in 

 some pistillate flowers ; and Bouche^ records the transformation of 

 staminate into pistillate individuals, — suggesting an interesting line 

 of study for those who may observe and experiment with these 

 plants as they grow under natural conditions. 



Observations on pollination do not appear to have been re- 

 corded, but the flowers are clearly entomophilous and their pollina- 



