158 W. H. GILBUltT ON THE 



nutriment, it must be simply by maceration, and the glands can be 

 regarded as absorbent only. 



One other little matter should be noticed in passing. Dr. Tait 

 says : — " I have not seen spiral vessels in the tissue of S. purpurea^ 

 This could only have been because his sections were unfavourable, 

 as there is an abundance of both spiral and reticulated vessels in 

 the vascular bundles. They are, however, of a smaller calibre than 

 usual. 



We now come to Darlingtonia. Of this genus very little need 

 be said. It is a most extraordinary plant, being quite grotesque in 

 form. 



Thickly scattered over tlie upper part of the pitcher are curious 

 patches, where the structure is reduced to three layers of cells, none 

 of which at maturity contain either protoplasm or colouring matter. 

 They are therefore translucent. In between and around them the 

 vascular system is to be found surrounded by a greater or less 

 quantity of ordinary chlorophyl bearing parenchyma. From the 

 mouth of the pitcher, which is placed some little distance below the 

 summit, depends a curious two-lobed organ, the structure of which 

 I was unable to examine owing to its bad condition in my specimen. 



The inner surface of the pitcher is divided into two zones ; the 

 upper one is furnished with short, thick, spike-like trichomes, com- 

 paratively wide apart, while the lower one has the same kind and 

 arrangement as exists in Sarrcicenia. 



Dr. Tait describes certain epidermal cells containing brown proto- 

 plasm, and having a bright nucleus, which he found in the curious 

 appendage to the mouth referred to above. These he regards as 

 nectaries, which may well be the case, as he says that Dr. Hooker, 

 on the authority of Professor Asa Gray, states that this peculiar 

 organ is found smeared with honey. 



The glands oi Darlingtonia Sii'Q the simjolest in structure of any found 

 in the group, and appear to have been overlooked by Dr. Tait, who 

 states, when speaking of the upper zone of the pitcher, that " there 

 is an abundance of spiral tissue, but no brown cells, stomata, or 

 glands were found." The epidermal cells of this division of tlie 

 surface have the common sinuous line, but scattered among them are 

 a considerable number of large sjiherical cells, one portion of their 

 wall being exposed at the surface, and the remainder dipping below 

 the epidermis into the subjacent tissue. These glands are very incon- 

 spicuous when the tissue is in its natural condition, but if the 



