48 DR. J. D. HOOKER ON THE GENERA AND SPECIES 



It is a remarkable foot that impregnation appears to be effected in this genus wlien tlie 

 "•reater part of the indorcscence is comph^tely clothed with the imbricating bractese, and in 

 some cases when the plant is still under the surface of the soil. Thus, Weddell's drawings 

 of L. BoIicMnum show that even after the fruit is mature it is wholly subterranean, the 

 upper part of the male portion of the inflorescence alone being above ground. In my 

 specimens of L. TFeddellii, which have all the appearance of being subterranean, and 

 which are very young, the pollen is partially shed and the fruit fully formed (though 

 abortive), and yet the peduncle woidd have to lengthen to three times its present length 

 l)efore the scales fall away and the plant appears to be in perfection. Witli regard to 

 Weddell's ch-aivings and specimens, they suggest the idea that the upper or male part of 

 the spike in elongating under ground sheds so much pollen in the soil, that the female 

 cjipitula on the lower part of the spike, which are afterwards carried up through the same 

 soil, are impregnated l)y the pollen-grains remaining imbedded in it. On the other hand, 

 L. WeddellU being dioecious, suggests insect-agency as absolutely essential to the process. 



I have already (p. 24) alluded to the remarkable similarity between the inflorescence 

 and flower of this genus and of Gunnera. 



1. LoPHOPHTTUM MiRABiLE, Schott & Endl. Mclct. i. t. 1 ; WeddeU in Ann. Sc. Nat. 



ser. 3. xiv. p. 185. 1. 10. f. 31-33. 



Archimedca, Leaiulro. 



Hah. Sylvis tropicis Brasiliaj meridionalis prov. Sebastianopol [Schott] : Leandro (in Hb. Mus. Paris.). 



This very remarkable plant is well figiu-ed by Endlicher, who however represents it in 

 a very advanced state, when the peltate scales have fallen away from the base of the 

 capitula of flowers ; the younger specimens preserved in the Paris Herbarium altogether 

 resemble those of L. WeddellU, but are much smaller. According to a drawing of M. 

 ."Weddell's, apparently of this species (and which was copied from one by M. Descourtils), 

 the whole plant appears immersed in the soil with the exception of the inflorescence, 

 wliich rises up like the upper part of a long pine-cone with sharp erect brown scales that 

 conceal the red male flowers. 



The scales observed and figured by Weddell amongst the female flowers much resemble 

 those of Cynomoriimi ; they are apparently bracteolas, subtending the female flowers, to 

 which they are very obscm-ely attached. 



2. LoPHOPHTTUM BoLiviATsrxJM, WcddcU in Ann. Sc. Nat. s(^r. 3. xiv. p. 185. 1. 10. f. 29, 30. 

 Hab. In Boliviaj prov. cle Cordillera, sylvis humidis. Fl. Novembri (TVedddl). 



I am indebted to Dr. Weddell for a fine drawing of tliis species and for specimens. In 

 general appearance it closely resembles L. mirabUe ; but the rhizome is lobed, the lobes 

 rounded, and it appears to be buried up to far beyond the middle of the inflorescence in 

 the soil, the whole of the female flowers and the lower half of the male or upper portion 

 of the spike being subterranean : as however the BalanophorcB and Hhojicilocnemis are 

 sometimes wholly exposed (even the rhizome), and at others almost immersed in mould, 

 so may these plants be; to which it may be added, that in the tropical forests wherein 



