KUNGL. S\'. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAE. BAND 55. N:0 5. 



75 



This species has been sometimes intermingled with P. pusillus L. and consi- 

 dered a variety of it (thus Kunth, Enum. Ill, 1841, 137). Later authors have 

 certainly thought it to be a proper species but included it with the pusillus- gvou-p 

 as nearly related to that (thus Raunki^r, Anat. Pot. Stud. 1903, Fischer, Gree- 

 ner). Almovist has (1889) put it together with P. zosterif. and acutifolius, indi- 

 cating thereby a more correct view, although even he has held it to stand very near 

 to P. pusillus, which ex Almqvist includes also P. gracilis Fr. A closer observation 

 of all parts of the plant shows 



the fructifica- 

 very close to 



that, respecting 

 tions, it stands 

 P. acutifolius, and as to the ve- 

 getative organs it draws extreme- 

 ly near to P. rutilis. But the 

 ligules are open and by this pro- 

 perty it reminds of the Pusilli 

 convoluti. The structure of the 

 ligule, again, is very like that of 

 P. javanicus. Its distribution 

 area coincides for the greater 

 part with that of P. acutifolius, 

 but expands much more south- 

 wards through Africa. 



The stigma is depressed, 

 oval, much wider than the upp- 

 er surface of the style. Style 

 very short, ovary broad, com- 

 pressed. A ripe fruit in longi- 

 tudinal section shows quite the 

 same appearance as the fruit of 

 P. acutifolius. The inside boss 

 lies in the prolongation of the 

 partition wall (see fig. 29, B). 

 The flowers of the two species 

 are also like in usually having 



Fig. 29. P. ti'ichoides Ch. & ScHL. A, Pistil, a, lateral view, t*, from be- 

 hind, 6, stigma from above, y. B, Longitudinal sections of ripe fruits of 

 diiferent size and form, «, 6, y. C, Transverse section of a stem-leaf, middle 

 part, us, lower surface, I, lacunar system, str, bast-bundles, ^y. D, Basal 

 portion of a stem-leaf, 'f. E, Top of the same, V. F, Top of an involucral 



leaf as it sometimes is met with, 

 midrib, n\ lateral nerves. 



G, Innermost leaf of a turio, \' 



". — I 



barely one pistil. 



The stem is nearly quite terete und built after the usual type with one circle 

 of subepidermal bast bundles in the cortex, 0-endoderniis, and a single xylem cavity 

 in the central cylinder denoting a fusion between the lateral and median vascular 

 bundles as in P. pusillus and others with a circular stele diagram. — In the very 

 thin peduncle the bundles run so near to each other that their bast-sheaths often 

 fuse and form a pseudo-endodermis. The lateral bundles are often extremely re- 

 duced sometimes quite wanting. In the south-african form (see below!), however, 

 two small lateral bundles appear conspicuously separated from the median ones as 



