ON CERTAIN EPIGYNOUS MONOCOTYLEDONS. 



in this particular, testify that no great stress can be laid upon 

 this part of vegetable life, in regard to the import of organs. In 

 this case, as in all others, an earnest study of the arrangement 

 of the organs will, sooner or later, probably solve the question. 



DESCRIPTION OF PLATE V. 



Fig. 1. Diagram of Heliconia. B, Universal bract; b, partial bracts, the 

 figures show the flowers to which these belong. Ax, main axis; ax, 

 axis of the branch. The noughts (0) indicate in this, as in the suc- 

 ceeding diagrams, the places where stamens are abortive ; the points 

 () actually existing stamens or anthers. Where a nought is crossed 

 through (0), it indicates a petal taking the place of a stamen. 



Fig. 2. Diagram of Musa. 



Fig. 3. Diagram of Calathea, showing how the flowers are enclosed in a 

 bract and a floral leaf (yorblatt) ; bb, little bracts. 



Fig. 4. Diagram of a single flower of Calathea. 



Fig. 5. Diagram of Canna. IB, 2s, 3s, large bracts; b and c, small bracts. 



Fig. 6. Diagram of Costus. B, large bract; b, lateral, small bracteal leaf 

 (deck-blati). 



Fig. 7. Diagram of Orchidea. 



[A. H.] 



