IN CEYLON. 81 



demonstrated. The conditions are the same for each of these 

 species, and a description of one will therefore be sufficient. 



Selecting D. sylyatica, we find that in this species we have 

 three kinds of trees, viz., (ct) female trees, (&) male trees, 

 and (c) polygamous trees. 



The female trees have their flowers arranged either 

 solitary or in simple cymes, each component having four or 

 eight staminodes and a six- to eight-celled ovary. The calyx 

 is usually accrescent and larger than that of the male. 



The male trees have dense cymes, each often with fifteen 

 flowers. Each male flower possesses an indefinite number 

 of stamens and thin calyx segments. 



The polygamous trees have the flowers arranged as in a 

 male cyme, and among them three types of flowers can be 

 distinguished. In the first section we have hermaphrodite 

 flowers, each of which is characterized by large accessory 

 whorls, twenty -two stamens, and a fertile pistil. The fruits 

 from these flowers possess seeds which in the characters 

 of the testa and embryo exactly agree with those from known 

 female trees. In the second class we have flowers with large 

 accessory whorls, twenty-two stamens, and an abortive 

 pistil showing an ovary one- to six-celled. These never 

 yield good fruits. In the third class we have flowers with 

 small accessory whorls, twenty-two stamens, and an abortive 

 pistil. 



It is therefore clear that in the polygamous trees we can 

 obtain every stage from purely staminate to hermaphrodite 

 flowers. 



It must not be supposed that the polygamous condition 

 may occur on any tree. There are male trees which never 

 produce anything but staminate flowers and female trees 

 which never possess stamens, and these must be clearly 

 distinguished from those trees showing the polygamous 

 condition. 



The difference between the indefinite staminal whorl of 

 the male and polygamous flowers and that of the true female 

 8(1)4 (11) 



