OF FICUS KOXBURGHII 



on dedication. That this is so comes out very clearly from the Mb win me 



I 



flower at this stage : 



g measurements « * 



Total height from base of pedicel to summit of ovary . . . ^.gg 



• • . 42 

 . . . 0-94 



Height from base of pedicel to origin of perianth 



Height from origin of perianth to summit of ovary . 

 Height from upper edge of stylar insertion to summit of o'^ 





Breadth of ovary at level of upper edge of stylar insertion 

 Length of style and stigma ....... 



Diameters of ovule .... 



mm 



mm 

 mm 



°™-y ..017 mm. 



042 

 S3 



W» x o-28 mm. 



m ■ . 



mm. 



vai v 



■ 



V 



The only index to the occurrence of continued growth in this case lay in the fact that tl 

 tips of the lobes of the perianth were somewhat lower in respect to the summit of the 

 than they normally are at the period of insect-access. Otherwise the flower appealed me 

 to have dried up. 



Id certain cases, however, as previously mentioned in connection with the cl iracier* f 

 the receptacles, general enlargement of the flowers occurs, and certain of them even form 

 achenes. The following are the measurements of a tall achene-bearin"- flower • 





Total height from base of pedicel to summit of ovary 3*73 mm 



Height from base of pedicel to origin of perianth , 1-71 mm 



Height from origin of perianth to bifurcation of fibro-vascular 



bundle 074 



Height thence to base of ovary 0*08 



Height of ovary 



mm 

 mm 



1 19 mm 



Breadth of ovary at level of upper edge of stylar insertion .... 1*08 mm 





It must be noted that this flower was one of those in which the stigma has the abnormal 

 truncate form, and that, as is the rule in such cases, the broadest part of the ovary was not 

 situated at the level of the upper edge of the stylar insertion, but at some distance above it 

 the style being inserted lower down than in the normal variety of flower. 



The achenes in size and outward appearance are precisely like those in receptacles t( 

 which insects have gained access, but the outer strata of the ovary are not softened, 

 this being, as already mentioned, probably due to the fact that they have not been macerate I 

 by receptacular fluid. On closer examination the resemblance of the achenes to normal ones i 

 found to be only superficial. Even as regards their walls, the degree of sclerosis is 

 rery imperfect, the cell-cavities of the internal epidermis remaining relatively large and 



their lateral branches being proportionately short. It is in their contents, however, that the 

 reat difference lies, as these show no traces of an embryo, and consist merely of a great th 



g,*^!*.!! ^,**^*V^ W **V,W, 



ailed empty Bac representing the dilated nucellus and secundine. In many cases all the 

 cells in its walls are thin, flattened, greatly extended superficially, and almost or quite empty. 

 In a few instances a feeble attempt at accumulation of albumen has seemingly occurred, the 

 cells corresponding with the nucellar parenchyma showing a certain number of pale globuks 

 within them. The development in such cases forms a sort of parallel to the imperfect 

 tion of the male flowers which, as has been already shown, sometimes occurs in gall receptacles 



apart from the access of insects. 



