30 



polygamy 



polygamo-dioecious or andro-dioecious. According to Darwin, 

 three forms of flowers are found in E. europaeus, Linn., on 

 separate bushes : truly hermaphrodite ; apparently hermaphrodite, 

 but functionally male ; and female. The female flowers can be 

 recognised easily, as they have short stamens bearing rudimentary 

 anthers destitute of pollen, but the functionally male and herma- 

 phrodite flowers are said to be indistinguishable, the pistil and 

 ovules being of the same size and appearance. In E. snbsessilis, 

 Sprague, and E. microcarpas, Sprague, however, two forms of 

 apparently hermaphrodite flowers occur, one of which exhibits 

 greater development of the pistil, and is therefore presumably her- 

 maphrodite, while the other has a less prominent pistil and may 

 be considered as the functional male until experimental proof be 

 forthcoming. No flowers with rudimentary anthers were observed. 



It should be noted that the venation of the leaves may alter 

 somewhat during their development ; in E. echinatus, for 

 example, the lateral veins are oblique in the young leaves, but 

 become patulous or patent afterwards, and the same appears to 

 hold to some extent in E. acanthocarpus. The descriptions of 

 venation here given refer to the mature leaves. 



Only three of the prickly-fruited species have come into 

 cultivation as yet, hut it seems probable that others may be 

 introduced in the near future. The key and descriptions have 

 therefore been written in English in order to be more generally 

 useful. Technical Latin descriptions are appended of the three 

 proposed new species, and of two additional Chinese ones with 

 spineless fruits. 



Key to the species. 



Flowers usually pentamerous ; leaves deciduous : 



Leaves ovate or lanceolate 



Leaves obovate o ?. , 



Flowers tetramerous ; leaves evergreen'- ' ohovatm ' 



& SSSSi ^ nmbeMike inflorescenc « • ~ «• — * 



• ♦♦ 



• • • 



amer 



Fruits greyish-green or grey in the dried state : 

 Trickles 2-2*5 mm. Ion? ... 



Prickles 6 mm. long* 



• •• . . • 



4. cinereua. 



Fruits tawny brownfor blackish in'the dried state •-" U * *«*"*"' 



"ft&Sft^ itr e> obtU8e or rounded ' not acumi r e : - 



Prickles 3-4 mm. long Z ^acanthocarpus. 



Leaves oblong, ovate or lanceolate, acuminate ■- ~ * *******•• 

 Fnckles 1-3-5 mm. long, not flattened •— 



8-lf mm a w ^^^ ^ minutel y tnbercnlate; petioles 



Y Ye 1 i 8 ns br :erv ie ohT n fc S*T*!° 5 *"""-« ^ L^*^^'' 



^SokSlaSte tn'^ ^^ "^^ Conspicuous ; 



y^X3^£S~'&'<* eacb.de o f the 



Pet Si? f^ l0 , ng ' flattened « ™??~ '"' * ' K>Wm - 



retiolea 4-6 mm. long 



Petioles 1-2 cm. Ion? 10 - actinMarpu*. 



- ••• — m .*, 



[••• • \Z. aculmtus. 



* Forms of flowers, pp. 287-293. 



