Hume — The Flowers of Diospyros Kaki L. F. 129 



times two and at other times the flowers are produced 

 singly. Particularly is this last true of the flowers at 

 the very base of the twigs and also of those flowers which 

 are sometimes located on pistillate flowering twigs. 



The peduncles are 6 to 10 mm. long, slightly hairy, 

 slender, curved downward, the secondary pedicels axil- 

 lary in the axils of small linear early caducous bracts 

 which are found on the main peduncle. These bracts 

 are usually shed before the center flower of the cyme 

 opens. The calyx is light green, sparsely hairy, four 

 lobed, the lobes y± to y 2 the length of the corolla-tube, 

 thin, rounded at the points. The corolla is 9-14 mm. in 

 length, light yellow, constricted beneath the reflexed 

 lobes. These lobes are deep yellow and velvety on the 

 upper surface, with margins minutely and sparsely 

 hairy. If the ovary is entirely lacking the base of the 

 corolla is closed and slightly pointed, but if the ovary 

 is rudimentary and of some size, the base is open. The 

 stamens are inserted on the corolla in two or three 

 rows, 16 to 24 in number, the outer row or rows longer, 

 the upper end of the anthers of the longer stamens reach- 

 ing to and filling the throat of the corolla, anthers much 

 longer than the very short hairy filaments. Pollen is 

 produced abundantly and after being shed from the 

 longitudinal slits in the anthers, it is held on the inner 

 surface of the corolla in considerable quantities. 



Occasionally a staminate and a perfect flower are 

 found attached to the same peduncle, and sometimes a 

 staminate flower is developed in one of the bracts on 

 the pedicel of a pistillate flower. 



The staminate flowers of ' ' Okame ' ' are not so pointed 

 as are those of other varieties. The throat also is larger. 



When the number of stamens is more than sixteen and 

 less than twenty-four, the third or inner row of smaller 

 stamens is only partially complete. 



The peduncles of the staminate flowers are persistent 

 through the summer and winter following the spring 

 when they developed and are a satisfactory means of 



