34 



Nevertheless, each spadix was for a period of two weeks, or a 

 little less, exclusively staminate, then followed a few days when 

 it was preponderately pistillate, but bore a few belated male 

 flowers, and finally, after these had fallen, it became exclusively 

 pistillate. Since each tree bore only a single flowering spadix at 

 the time, cross pollination between neighboring trees must have 

 been the rule. The different trees were generally in different 

 phases of flowering, so those inflorescences which had most re- 

 cently escaped could furnish pollen to the pistillate flowers of 

 spadices on other trees which had burst their spathes a week or 

 two earlier. 



The following table will serve to recapitulate the behavior 

 of_this tree: 



January 31, 1929. Leaf fell exposing inflorescence enclosed 

 in its spathes. 



February 8. Outer spathe fell. 



10. Inner spathe fell, staminate flowers open and 



visited by bees. 

 22. Staminate flowers mostly fallen, the first pis- 

 tillate flowers receptive. 

 25. Staminate flowers all spent. 

 28. Pistillate flowers practically all expanded. 

 March 21. Second leaf fell exposing inflorescence (Details 

 of the anthesis of this spadix were not followed). 



April 16. The fruits of the inflorescence which came into 

 bloom about January 1 are now ripe (after 3 1/2 

 months). 

 24. Third leaf fell exposing inflorescence. 



May 2. Outer spathe burst. 



3. Both spathes fell and the first staminate flowers 



opened. 

 17. A few pistillate flowers, on branches from which all 



staminate flowers had fallen, were receptive. 

 19. All but a few straggling staminate flowers have 



fallen. 

 22. Pistillate flowers practically all expanded. 

 31. Fourth leaf fell exposing inflorescence. 



June 6. I left Almirante and discontinued observations. 



