34. The Polarity of the Bulbils of Dioscorea bulbifera, 
inn. 
By I. H. BurKILL. 
The following brief note embodies two series of observations 
made to ascertain if the bulbils of Dioscorea bulbifera put out 
shoots with equal facility from any part of their surface, or 
possess a polarity in this respect. For the purpose a quantity 
of bulbils collected on the outskirts of Calcutta in November, 
1910, were kept dry in a bag in my office until the end of 
March, 1911, when for > obaerrelitis they were spread upon a 
laboratory table. 
First series of Observations. 
About thirty-five bulbils were left spread on the table with- 
out water, and without any interference, exposed to the damp 
atmosphere of Calcutta, where they sprot uted. On May 12th, 
1911, they were examined and the position of the shoots deter- 
mined with regard to the two poles—the adaxillary pole whereby 
the bulbil had been attached, and the abaxillary or apical 
pole. Six belts were delineated on the bulbils thus :— 
(1) the ao oe the scar where the bulbil had 
bee. ached in the parent axil,—adaxillary pole, 
(2) a eas to that pole, 
(3) a belt above the equator, 
(4) a belt below the equator, 
(5) a belt next to the abaxillary or apical pole, 
(6) the abaxillary or apical pole—the pole containing the 
apex of the organ transformed into a bulbil, 
On May 12th, twenty-eight of the bulbils had germinated, 
