40 THE JOURNAL OF INDIAN BOTANY. 



sclerenchymatous pericycle. The pericycle consist of large groups of 

 stone-cells separated by the chlorophyll containing parenchyma of the 

 cortex. The wood (fig. 2) is composed of large xylem bundles separat- 

 ed by broad medullary rays which come into contact with the chloro- 

 phyll containing parenchyma of the cortex. Vessels are large and 

 have simple perforations. Groups of cells, resembling bast fibres, are 

 present on the inner side of the xylem. Inter fascicular wood-prosen- 

 chyma is not developed. The endodermis is not differentiated. The 

 soft bast occurs in groups on the outer side of the xylem, separated 

 by medullary rays. The pith is composed of thick-walled cells and 

 some of these contain small clusters of acicular crystals of oxalate 



Epidermis consists of horizontally tabular cells with outer walls 

 greatly thickened and arched convexly outwards. Lateral walls are 

 undulate. Stomata occur on both the surfaces and are accompanied 

 by subsidiary cells one of which is smaller than the other two. The 

 front cavity is placed in a depression formed by outer thickened 

 walls of the epidermal cells. Guard cells are placed in the plane 

 of the surrounding cells. (Fig. 5.) Stomata on the axis are numerous 

 and have the same characters as those on the leaf. Mesophyll is 

 isobilateral, and is characterised by a middle tissue which is composed 

 of large thin-walled colourless polygonal cells, perhaps acting as 

 water reservoirs in F. jacquemontii (Fig. 3) and of horizontally elong- 

 ated green cells in F. macrantha (Fig. 7.) Internal secretary organs 



