5 MEMOIRS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 
inserted on the end of the pedicel at the bottom of the calyx, we would have the 
rather absurd condition either that fibro-vascular bundles of two sets of leaves (petals and 
stamens, or sepals and stamens) of different ages would be united in the organs them- 
selves, or else that the stamens were borne on the other organs, just as in the first case, 
only that the insertion would be a little farther down. If the attachment of the 
stamens, petals and sepals is supposed to be at the place where the fibro-vascular bun- 
dles separate, the axial portion would end at different heights (7. ¢., both at us and up, 
plate J, fig. 3) and still a portion of the axis would be cup-shaped. It is, therefore, best 
to regard the whole of the cup axial. In this case the union of the fibro-vascular bun- 
dles below the margin causes no difficulty as fibro-vascular bundles from leaves often 
unite with other bundles in the stem, 
3. The axial origin of the cup is shown by the fact that, in Rosa and other genera, 
it often bears bracts, indeed sometimes fully developed leaves with stipules even at a 
place much higher than the insertion of the achenes, and both Masters and Henslow 
state that supernumerary carpels are sometimes borne on its rim in the hawthorn. 
4. The real place of insertion of the sepals is at or at least near the brim of the cup, 
just below the place of insertion of the petals. This is shown by the fact that in Rosa 
the sepals, which in this genus are often leaf-like, sometimes bear at this point fully 
developed stipules. The bractlets of the Potentilleac have usually been regarded as 
representing the united stipules of two neighboring sepals. Another fact, indicating that 
the point of insertion is at the place given above, is that in some species of Rosa and 
other genera the sepals are deciduous at this point. Even in most of the Potentilleac this 
place is also shown by a thickening of the tissue. ‘This is most prominent in Horkelia 
( Ivesia ) Baileyi, Shockleyi, pygmaca and Comarella multifoliolata and sabulosa, where, 
especially at the time when the fruit is ripe, there is a considerable swelling and a 
decided break in the outline, the sepal making nearly a right angle with the avyial 
portion. 
The flower-axis can therefore be divided into two portions ; an inner of terminal 
and an outer of lateral origin. The inner portion in the Potentilleae is typically more or 
less conic or hemispherie, bearing the numerous pistils, which are generally inter- 
posed with numerous longer or shorter bristles. For convenience I shall use in my de- 
scriptions the word receptacle exclusively for this portion of the axis. In Jvesia, ete., 
where the number of pistils is very small, the receptacle is very minute and in several 
cases obsolete. In Fragaria, Duchesnea and Comarum it much enlarges in fruit. In the 
first genus it becomes fleshy and edible and constitutes the strawberry. 
The outer portion of the flower-axis is, as stated before, lateral and develops in 
