Proceedings. 45 



a large and a small form, — the large form bearing 2-3 female 

 heads on each branch, and the small form but 1 on each 

 branch, — in each form the branch being continued beyond 

 the female head, and bearing numerous male heads. The 

 most marked difference between the two species is to be 

 found in the ripe fruit, which in neglectum is obovate, with a 

 very long beak, smooth, almost round in transverse section, 

 or slightly obtuse-angular by compression ; while in ramosum 

 the fi'uit is obversely conical or pyramidal, with a short beak, 

 very angular, and wrinkled between the angles, giving a very 

 irregular transverse section. This difference in the external 

 appearance of the fruit is due to the structure of the epicarp, 

 or outer layer of the pericarp. In S. neglectum this is much 

 thickened, and is composed of numerous, small, dense cells, 

 which do not shrink when the fruit ripens, but remain com- 

 pact, and conceal the angles of the endocarp. In S. ramosum 

 the epicarp is thin, composed of a few large, loose cells, which 

 in the ripe fruit shrivel up into the furrows of the endocarp, 

 allowing the ridges of the latter to project, and thus giving to 

 the fruit its well-known angled and wrinkled appearance. 



These observations on the epicarp are not founded on a few 

 examples, but on a very large number of sections cut fi-om 

 fruits collected in various localities. It should be stated that 

 good, ripe fruit should be chosen for comparison, as unripe 

 fruits that have been dried, or abnormal and imperfect fruits 

 (which are of frequent occurrence), are liable to mislead 

 unless the characters afforded by the perfect fruit of each 

 species are first well grasped. 



As may be seen by the examples shown this evening, the 

 leaves of the two plants dry a very different colour. Those 

 shown were collected about the same time, and were dried under 

 precisely similar circumstances, side by side in a south window. 



The leaves of ramosum dry a deep olive or blackish green, 

 whilst those of neglectum assume a pale yellowish green tint. 

 This difference is not always so striking as in the specimens 

 before you, and may be partially due to soil ; but there is 

 always a decided difference to be observed. The leaves of 

 ramosum, and especially the bracts, are also usually of a more 



