70 Sutton, Growi/rof the Sea Tassel. [ 



Vict. Nat. 

 Vol. XXXVI. 



masses. The female elements were dark green, sessile, and 

 very inconspicuous, but seemed to be six: in number in each 

 flower. No perianths were noticed. A couple of days after 

 their appearance on the surface the pollen sacs were found 

 detached and broken, apparently along the outer surfaces, 

 and masses of creamy pollen were lying on the water, some being 

 in contact with the spikes. The pollen grains are about four 

 times as long as broad, more or less angular and rounded, 

 slightly dilated and retractile at the ends and at the knees of 

 the angles. In a day or two after the shedding of the pollen 

 — sometimes before this occurred — the lower parts of the ped- 

 uncles became convoluted into tangles, eventually drawing the 

 spikes below the surface. (Fig. 2.) (In the '' Flora Australi- 

 ensis "it is stated that the spirally-coiled peduncles bring the 

 spikes to the surface, but from our observations the convolutions 

 do not occur until some time afterwards.) The day after the 

 flower-heads have been drawn under they become inverted 

 by the bending of the straight parts of the peduncles, and one 

 was seen actually to suddenly and quickly swing through an 

 arc of about 45°, and soon after through a lesser angle, until 

 it pointed almost vertically downwards at about the level from 

 which it originated. (Fig. 3.) All this time one or more of the 

 carpels from each cluster were growing on lengthening stalks, 

 the others remaining aborted, and in nine days or so had attained 

 the length of about an inch. The carpels are ovoid, brownish, 

 and slightly beaked, and as the stalks lengthened spread out 

 and became separated one from another by an inch or more. 

 Ultimately, about three weeks after fertilization, the stalked 

 fruits, measuring in one instance just on two inches in length 

 (fig. 4), separated and fell, with their stalks, head downwards, 

 into the mud and remained upright. Probably the motion of the 

 water swaying the stalks enables the fruits to penetrate the 

 mud so far that after germination the young plants can 

 effectively root themselves. At a later date it was noticed that 

 the upright stems began to bend and throw out roots from the 

 upper nodes ; these roots finally reached the mud, and ultimately 

 drew the stems to a horizontal position some little distance above 

 it. (Figs. 5 and 6.) I am indebted to Mr. J. Searle for photo- 

 graphs of the plant in different stages. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE. 



1. Ascending bud. 4. Ripe fruits. 



2. Stem contracted and convoluted. 5 and 6. Stalk being drawn down 

 _ . . by adventitious roots. 



3. truit, with head nivcrted. 



