106 



from 14 to 17 flower-heads in the group. An extra, solitary, 

 flower- head appeared in the axil of a small leaf placed below on 

 the supporting branch of two of the clusters ; these were excluded 

 from the reckoning as imperfect in development. A small terminal 

 group of three heads which surmounted the three main clusters 

 was estimated as a fourth cluster. Two of the main clusters 

 presented 14 heads, and the third 17 heads, three of these heads 

 appeared to be additional heads separated somewhat from the rest, 

 and might almost have been considered a terminal group to the 

 other heads of the cluster, as the 4th cluster was estimated in 

 relation to the three main clusters. 



The three bracts surrounding the Calyx, and the Calyx itself, 

 showed the brownish tint of withering, and the capsules within 

 were blackish, separating easily from their adhesion to the projecting 

 axis in all three of the main clusters of flower-heads. It was 

 particularly noticed how the five divisions of Calyx (Sepals) had 

 contracted down on the axis and its encircling ring of the seed- 

 holding capsules acting as a protection to the maturing seeds after 

 the fall of the petals, &c. The points of the Sepals all met in the 

 centre and pointed upwards. Some of the Sepals were split ou 

 the edge so as to produce a minute lateral Sepal, or in other 

 instances the division w-ent deeper into the encircling ring of the 

 Calyx and produced a sixth complete Sepal or division of the edge 

 of the Calyx. It was noted that, generally, three capsules of the 

 circlet were opposed to each Sepal ; this estimate would give 

 15 capsules as the normal amount within each Calyx, but it was 

 found that the number varied from 14 to 18, it was therefore 

 thought expedient to observe the relation of the divisions of the 

 Calyx, or in other words its amplitude, to the number of capsules. 

 However, a definite result was not obtained. Tlie number of Seeds 

 in each capsule were not reckoned, and as the number is sometimes 

 more than one the total amount of Seeds given may be considered 

 to exceed that which is enumerated. Every capsule that was not 

 plump and firm was considered imperfect and immature. The 

 capsules were examined in due order from the lower to the upper 

 part of the stem, and the flower-heads in groups of four or less 

 from without inwards. 



No. 1 Cluster of 14 flower-heads, excluding a minute abortive head a mere bud in centre 



yielded a total No. of capsules 224, of which 10 were imperfect, leaving 214 perfect ones. 

 No. 2 of 14 flower-heads smaller ) 



than those of No. 1, seven J 219 „ 10 „ „ 200 



especially so ) 



No. 3, 17 heads, three grouped i „„„ ,„ oyK 



as a terminal cluster ) ' 



No. 4, 3 heads, a small terminal i 



cluster of the stem, five > 14 „ 4 - „ „ 10 „ 



seeds not ripe .' 



52 flower-heads yielded capsules 694 Total. 45 were imperfect. 649 perfect. 



J. EEID. 



