348 LaurinE/^. 



Gen. Dist. These hills only. 



Note on the Jlora mechanism. The large yellow excrescences (« glands ') 

 at the base of the stamens form a barrier against entrance to the base of the 

 flower except between them. I could find no honey at the base of the 

 flower, but in newly opened flowers the hastate staminodes of the innermost 

 whorl, glisten and taste of honey : they are probably therefore the honey- 

 secreting organs. The anthers' and their stifl" filaments stand well back 

 against the perianth tube, and the proboscis of aa insect inserted down the 

 middle of a flower would touch first the stigma, depositing on it any pollen 

 it might bring, and then these sticky honey-glands (staminodes). On being 

 withdrawn the proboscis would rub up against the petal-stamens which have 

 stiff filaments and anthers, and opening the trap- doors over the pollen sacs 

 remove pollen because sticky with honey. These outer petal-stamens 

 appear to mature first. The pollen grains of the petal and sepal-stamens 

 appear to be quite similar, and as the third whorl open outwards facing the 

 first and second, the pollen from them is probably removed in the same way. 



The young shoots are stitfly erect with the young leaves, yellowish-pink 

 or brownish-pink, hanging vertically down from their stalks. This is very 

 characteristic and similar to what happens in actinodaphne. 



ACTINODAPHNE. f.b.i. 128 xi. 



Evergreen shrubs and trees with whorled leaves and 

 small flowers in axillary or lateral, dense, bracteate 

 umbels or clusters. Perianth tube short, segments six. 

 Stamens nine ; outer six without glands, inner three with 

 glands: all anthers facing outwards. Fruit seated on 

 the much enlarged perianth. 



Species 50 in eastern Asia and Malaya. 



Actinodaphne hookeri Meissn. ; F.B.I. v 149, XI, 9. 

 A small tree : lateral branches often slender, erect : all 

 parts tomentose. Leaves in whorls of four or five : stalks 

 y2 inch, densely tomentose on the underside, elliptic 

 lanceolate, penninerved. Male flowers clustered; female 

 umbelled or subracemose on a short stout peduncle. 

 Fruit ellipsoid seated on the much thickened sub- 

 campanulate entire perianth tube. 



Pulneys : in sholas near Kodaikanal. My specimens being 

 imperfect I give this name under reserve. It may prove to 

 A. lanata i1/^/55«. />5tf« 2133, 2177. Bourne ^1^. 



