IN CBYLOX. 97 



The most perfect agreement in number and position of 

 members of the staminal whorl is in Group A, where the sex 

 relationship is the most complicated, and there is least 

 agreement in Group D, where the sex is dioecious only. 



It would appear that the greater the departure from the 

 dioecious condition, the more nearly do the male and female 

 staminal whorls agree ; thediceciousconditionisfurtherfrom 

 the hermaphrodite state than any of the Groups A, B, and C. 



From the above table we can deduce certain generalizations 

 which will probably throw some light on the exact ontogene- 

 tic relationships of the organs considered. The remarks on 

 this subject are made purely in relation to the flowers of the 

 Ceylon species examined, and it is possible that examination 

 of other species in other countries may lead to quite contrary 

 or to similar conclusions. 



Since we have classified certain species into groups 

 according to their sex relationships, it will be convenient to 

 adhere to the above plan in describing the staminal whorl in 

 each sex group. 



We will commence with Group A, in which there are 

 species having the monoecious, dioecious, and polygamous 

 condition. The complicated sex relationships here existing 

 show that it is possible to have on the same tree every stage 

 between a perfect hermaphrodite flower and a staminate or 

 pistillate flower. The hermaphrodite flower in giving rise to 

 a staminate or pistillate flower must undergo abortion of 

 the gyncecium and anthers respectively. In every pistillate 

 flower an epipetalous ring of staminodes exists, and in every 

 staminate flower a rudimentary pistil remains. Can it be 

 that the unisexual flowers have been derived from the 

 hermaphrodite, or vice versa ? In one species of this group, 

 viz., IX hirsuta, we see that in number, form, and orientation 

 the stamens of each male flower exactly agree with the 

 staminodes of the female flower. Such equality in the 

 staminal whorl does not occur in any other Ceylon species 

 of Diospyros. The complex sexual relationships may have 



8(1)4 (13) 



