19 
mally 6, becomes 5, 2° the number of stamens shrinks to two, 
whether free or paired'). The former belonging to the inner 
whorl, the latter to the outer circle. 3° the perianth is rarely 
complete but ordinarily limited to 2 or 8 parts. Some of these 
parts are, however, compound on account of their being in- 
dented or lobed. 
The number of seeds is by no means diminished and according 
to Dr. Smiru’s communication they easily germinate. 
TACCACEHAE. 
T ie laevis Rxb. 
Legit C. A. Backer, May 1917. 
Habitat Java. | 
Two flowers and peduncles grown together (Synanthy). 
- ARACEAE. 
Aberrations in the inflorescence of Anthurium. 
On various occasions we have registered the presence of two 
spathae on one peduncle in species of Anthurium and Penzig 
also mentions this phenomenon. This augmentation has, in our 
opinion, no special significance. Of much greater interest appears 
to be the production of two spadices and even an indication of 
additional ones. A beautiful case of doubling is represented in 
fig. 22, copied from a flowerstalk which in an early stage has 
bifurcated to two perfectly resembling branches each crowned 
by a spatha and a quite normal spadix. 
The question arises: is it two stalks which have grown 
together or is it a product of dichotomy as a consequence of 
fasciation? It must be decided whether the doubling has been 
induced by coalescence of two originally separate buds or that 
the growing point has gradually increased and split up into 
two. In order to solve this question we will make use of spe- 
cimens of which the origin and the time of collecting will be 
prolnen ee communicated. 
1) Penzig II, p. AAT, mentions only reduction of stamens in T. alismoides mpc tee ae 
