OF FICUS BOXBTRCHII. 





1$ 



The receptacles of Flats Roxburgh a. 



In passing on to a description of the receptacles no mere general data a ro w ffi fa* and 

 rt 1S necessary to grve detads m regard to the condition of both f, mtlc and nialo or "J 



receptacles at different stages of development, and in relation to the fact of the fbr • 



gaining access to them or failing to do so. We have thus to ooamkr the J 

 presented by each class of receptacles under the following headings — 



1 . Characters at the stage when they are ready for the accew of inse< 



2. Characters of receptacles after insects have attained acce», hut beta maturation. 



3. Characters of mature receptacles to which insects hav< gained accest. 



4. Characters of mature receptacles to which insects have not gained acoeaa 



receptacles are divisible into two varieties 



(a) One in which no appreciable development has occurred after the fl 



have reached the condition which they normally present at th< 

 for access of insects. 



(b) One in which a certain amount of evolution of the male flow r 



some of the true female flowers has occurred beyond tliatcond 





or 



Male or Gall- Receptacles. 



A. — Characters at the stage when they are ready for the acms of insects. 



ft 



The following are the measurements obtained from a receptacle of average dimensions 



External diameter 

 Thickness of wall 



2 > 

 0*-25 



Thickness of plug of ostiolar bracts 0* 30 



Diameter of area in centre of ostiolar aspect of cavity occupied by empty 



bracts • • 



Breadth of surrounding zone of male flowers 



Breadth of peripheral zone of gall-flowers on ostiolar aspect of receptacular 



cavity . . . . 



Depth of gall-flower stratum • • 



0" I 



0*24 

 0"0 





The ostiole is at this time closed by a firm, solid plug of closely a] .pressed ostiolar bract 

 and the central area of the ostiolar aspect of the cavity is thickly clothed with others (!' 



IV, figs. 21, 22). Around this bracteal area a narrow zone of true male flowers is situa id 



and external to it the continuous stratum of gall-flowers which lines all the rest of tl„ 



..v^ptacle commences (Plate IV, fig. 22). The area of bracts and male flowers f m 

 central concave boss on the ostiolar aspect of the cavity, the concavity mainly ben. due 

 to the fact that the male flowers and their bracts stand erect, wb.le the empty bracts u 

 sitnated on an inclined basis, and become more and more oblique as they g. >"-**« 

 the conrse of the ostiolar channel, in the central portmn of wh.cb t ey are arrang 

 horizontally (Plate IV, fig, 21, 22, 23). In passing from wuhout mwar s afongAe . 

 of the osti, we first meet with bracts dir^jjj* - - ^ ^dW 



