104 



NATURAL mSTORY OF PLANTS. 



f^.f\ 



with runninf^ rhizomes, from wliich short hranches rise to the 



surface, bearing a rosette of leaves and 

 axillary peduncles, which bear a single 

 flower, or several grouped into a simple 

 or compound raceme. I'he calyx con- 

 sists of five equal or unequal sepals of 

 imbricated, usually quincuncial icstiva- 

 tion. The stamens are indefinite, hy- 

 pogynous, and become smaller as they 

 are more external. The filaments are 

 free, sometimes collected in three or 

 four distinct groups ; they are dilated 

 above into an elongated flattened con- 

 nective bearing an anther with two 

 linear cells dehiscing laterally or nearly 

 so ;' or else the filament swells into a 

 short head, which, as in Jcwtirniri, bears 

 the oblique distinctl}^ introrse anther- 

 cells^ diverging below ; or, again, each 

 of the elongated anther-cells opens 

 by a round pore near its tip/ The carpels are two in number, free, 

 or slightly coherent towards the base. The ovary contains on its 

 inner angle a placenta which bears either ascending ovules, or two 

 vertical rows of nearly horizontal ovules. The style, often elongated 

 and bent on itself in the bud, ends in a more or less swollen stigma- 

 tiferous head. The fruit consists of two or three capsules dehiscing 

 irregularly to free the curved seeds, which possess a membranous 



Walp., R,p., i. (55 ; Ann. iv. 36.— Hook. & 

 TiiOMS., /'/. JmL, i. Gl. — 'I'ii\vAiTi:3, Enum. 

 in. Z>-yl., 2.— MiQ., Fl. Ind. Bat., i., pars 

 alt., 10. 



' This is CBpecially seen in A. lyratum Hook. 

 F. (Til WAIT., op. cit., :{). in wl.idi tlio filament, 

 not swollen at the Huinmit, m directly eoiitinuouH 

 with tlie connective, ami hears two atiiiate narrow 

 cells of lateral or sli^jhtly exlrorse dcliisccnce. 

 The outer Htamens are sliorter than the others, 

 but all are fertile. The carpels, u\'Wn tiiree in 

 numher, contain numerous ovules, anil possess a 

 style (lihited at tiie tip. 



' Ah in -4. Tliir.utixii Hook. F. (./. pimui/i. 

 Jidum TilW.), the top of the filament swells iulo 

 u connective bearing two oblique ellipsoidal cells 



diverging at the base and dohiscinf; mnrginally 

 or nearly so. In form these anthers (see tig. 151) 

 recall those of most Titrarerax. There are usually 

 three carpels, with half a score of ovules in the 

 ovary, and a subulate style not dilaletl at tho 

 tip. 



^ This occurs in the typicid 8i)ecie3 A. co»la- 

 lum Jack. Tho stamens, somewhat une(]ual, 

 bear an elongated anther which at first apjKiini 

 introrhC, but the cells of which only open at tho 

 tip by pores with tiiickeued edges (tig. 152) — n 

 eliaractiir of little value (see p. 1 1 1). I he sepaU 

 are lanceolate, covered with stiflKh hairs. Tlio 

 carpels are often two in nuudn'r; tiie style is not 

 diluted at the tip. The ovary contitiua two 

 ascending ovules. 



