162 MORPHOLOGY OF CAREX AND OTHER MONOCOTYLEDONS. 
of the tribe Seseline@ in Angola; and Diplolophium, which occurs in 
Abyssinia and in Batoka Country, is the only one throughout the 
whole of Tropical Africa. 
32.—Physotrichia es hg Hiern, from 
cl- | 
aie "potlacker | in Tae #3 the late Dr. Wel omey Hin. J, Flower i. 6. 
2, Umbel of ripe fruit. 3, A single ripe fruit x 4. 4, Section of fruit x 
ON SOME POINTS RELATING TO THE MORPHOLOGY OF 
CAREX AND OTHER MONOCOTYLEDONS. 
-By Frep. Townsrenp, M.A. 
In many families of the Monocotyledons, ¢.g., in Aroidee, Iridea, 
Restiacea, Juncacee, Desvauxiacee, Hydrocharidea, &c., the presence 
of one bract, or more usually of two, at the branching of the stem, 
me n i i 
be assumed in these families the stem which bears the inflores- 
cence is the first axis of the latter, and all its branches are branches 
of the inflorescence. 
ere there is a branching of the axis the normal position of 
the second bract is on the secondary axis, alternate with and opposite 
to the first bract, which represents the leaf i in the axil of which the 
branch springs ; but when to all appearance there is no branching of 
the axis, the second bract is situate a little higher than the first. 
t the base of any branch o the inflorescence in Cyperus, Carer, 
ken 
f - In Carex the first bract is usually arp TEe but the 
second is Srequently. at ec and sheathing, and has been desig- 
nated ‘‘ ochrea’”’* by D 
nd bra in 
form and in size, at is present frequently as a single bract, and is 
lativ: i 
form. In Carex depauperata, digitata, levigata, edipostyla, &e-, 
this bract is sagen very long, slender, ‘membranous, an me 
nerveless, an n represented by a sheath of so great 
delicacy and fitting so close to the stem that it may easily 
* Hardly a good term here, since it usually signifies ~- Lappentese to a leaf, 
whereas the sheath in Carex is itself a modified leaf o he sheathing 
bract in Carex is probably of a similar nature to the Seslhags in "hile: and if 
this be so the tracing of this organ through Monocotyledons to Dicotyledons 
es exceedingly i eiden in his ‘ Principles of Sci 
Botany,” English ed., p. 271, complaining of the loose termino 
ill his rem —‘*Here (e.g., Pothos) it 
not ee the leaves are developed quite differently, 
nn regulasly ; one consisting of lamina, petiole, vaginal portion, and 
in e one appearing as a mere membranous sheath, 
Sorta taan of wets Sot Santen tan ba melon 
whole leaf,” &c ¢ ken of 
exactly co. s to of Caret, Xe. shanti oer pre 
