161 



The buds assume a green colour while they are still 

 entirely enclosed within the knob and hence I think it 

 probable that they hâve the power, like the germinating 

 plants of Ephedra and the Coniferae, to form chlorophyl 

 independent of light. 



The sprouts growing outof the adventitious buds always 

 remain short and tender (cf. PI. II, figs. 2, 3 and 6). The 

 biggest I observed reached a height of about 8,5 centi- 

 mètres and consisted of a stem with 5 internodes (inclu- 

 ding the basai part) of which the upper one reached the 

 greatest length (almost 2 centimètres), while the leaflets 

 on the last node became largest (about 3 cms. long). The 

 position of the leaves is alternating, the innervation of 

 the leaf the typical one for Gnetum Gnemon '). The leaflets 

 on the first node as a rule remain scale-shaped ; in some 

 cases, however, they develop to leaflets, differentiated into 

 stalk and blade. 



Although in the axils of the leaflets axillary buds 

 are certainly formed, (figs. 19 — 22), I never saw the adven- 

 titious sprouts ramify themselves, except in a single case, 

 when, as I surmise, of the basai pièce of an adventitious 

 sprout the terminal bud did not develop for some reason or 

 other and instead the buds in the axils of the scale-leaves 

 sprouted (PI. II, fig. 3). 



On a differentiation of histogens at the végétative cône 

 I hâve not been able to form a definite opinion from my 

 préparations of adventitious sprouts. 



The numerous attempts which I made, in order to 

 Induce the adventious sprouts to produce roots, hâve ail 

 failed. This agrées with the circumstance that in mypre- 



1) Viz. Nr. 3 of the leaf nervations, distinguished by Karsten 

 for the species of Gnetum [G. Ka r s t e n, Untersuchixngen ûber die 

 Gattiing Gnetum. I. (Ann. du Jardin Bot. de Buitenzorg Volume 

 XI. 1893. pag 195—281)]. 



