80 WRIGHT : THE GENUS DIOSPYROS 



stamen of a pair is very small and contains very little, if any, 

 pollen when mature. 



On the other hand, the staminodes of each female flower 

 are always five in number, epipetalous, and arranged BO as to 

 alternate with the corolla segments. 



It is therefore to be noted that in the species which are 

 moncecious only the staminodes are constant in position and 

 number, the stamens may equal or double the staminodes in 

 number, and a rudimentary pistil usually occurs in the 

 centre of each male flower. As to whether the male flower 

 can be derived from the female, or vice versa, by sterilization 

 of sporogenous tissue, nothing need be said in this part of 

 the paper. 



Dioecious and Polygamous. This occurs in D. sylvatica, 

 D. Gardneri. D. affinis, D. Embryopteris, and D. insignis. 



Under this section we must differentiate between the 

 polygamous condition due to replacement of a staminode by 

 a stamen, as in D. Embryopteris, and that due to the pistil 

 of a male flower exerting its potentiality, as in D. affinis, D. 

 sylvatica, and D. Gardneri. 



In D. Embryopteris we have the distinct male and female 

 forms, and the species can be said to be dioacious. The 

 female flowers have four staminodes* alternating with the 

 corolla lobes and a central pistil having an eight-celled 

 ovary. The male flowers have an indefinite number of 

 stamens and a rudimentary pistil. It has, however, been 

 noted by Hiern that the staminodes of the female flower 

 may be replaced by perfect stamens, thus giving rise to a 

 polygamous state. The male flowers of the same species 

 likewise show an occasional fertile pistil, resulting in a 

 polygamous condition on the same tree. 



In D. sylyatica, D. Gardneri, D. insignis, and D. affinis 

 we have the dioecious and polygamous conditions well 



* Hiern states (p. 258) that D. Embryopteris has one to twelve stamino- 

 des in the female flower. 



