49 



rarely cast up ; Baron v. Mueller mentions that he had 

 only seen one specimen. What I take for the male organs are 

 spiral tubes as thick as a stout pin, about three-quarters to 

 one inch long, and twisted spirally. They appear in pairs in 

 the axils of very young leaves near the top of the plant, end 

 in a blunt, conical point, and light brown in colour. When 

 old they drop off, leaving black scars on the joint. The leaves 

 of the branches on which they occur are much narrower and 

 shorter than those of female or sterile branchlets. Only one 

 specimen with two branchlets with them, but many sterile ones, 

 has yet been found. P.S. — A fair number have been obtained, 

 but are scarce in proportion to the female flowers. — Oct. 6. 



EXPLAXATIOX TO PlATE Y. 



Fig. 1. Female flower with germ-plant, showing the flat side of 

 flower and in the same plane as the leaves, a. Peduncular 

 joint. Z». Calyx (?) and bracts, c. Adjoining pair of large 

 sepals (?). d. Small do. do. e. First, scale-like, pair of 

 leaves. /. Young and immature part of young plant. 



Fig. -2. Same ; a more mature plant ; transverse aspect, a. 

 Apical leaves of mother branchlet, showing that the 

 seedling is at right angles to its bearer, h. Mature form 

 of leaf. 



Fig. 3. Same ; young plant detached from base " c," to show 

 " « " the sub-ovoid germ or seed. h. Lid of ovary (?) or 

 base style, a and h are absorbed before the young plant 

 is detached. 1, 2, 3, nat. size. 



Fig. 4. Same ; enlarged, a. G-erm nucleus, or remains of seed. 

 h. Part from which the roots spring when detached after 

 attaining maturity, to show which the sepals have been 

 removed, c. Eudimentary filaments or styles, d. Floral 

 scale (?). e. Young and rudimentary branchlets. 



Fig. 5«. Branchlet showing (presumed) male organs, nat. size. 

 5&. Part of same enlarged, a. Scars of old sperm-tubes, 

 generally in pairs, h. and c. Exhausted and broken tubes, 

 proceeding in pairs from joints, and the axils of leaves, d. 

 Mature sperm tube of spiral form. e. Budding do. hh is 

 the reverse aspect of the branchlet in 5«. 



