- 





▼ 



t 





1920] EDWARDS— HEDYOSMUM 



419 



(figs. 22, 23, 42). The ripe seed is somewhat oval in side view, but 

 sharph' triangular in cross-section. 



Germination of seed 



made in 



Johnson. It is of the type 



endosperm-containing angiosperms. The small globular embryo 

 differentiates gradually, and as the hypocotyl grows out of the 

 nucellar region the cotyledons are extended on into the endosperm 

 toward the chalaza. Here they remain until the stored food 

 material is practically exhausted (fig. 44), Later they become 

 freed from the endosperm, expand, and assume active photosyn- 



f m thetic functions. 



Discussion 



Certain peculiarities in the structure and development of the 

 reproductive organs of Hedyosmum nutans which have been 

 described suggest certain conclusions which may be drawn as to 

 its phylogenetic origin. Correlated with these is the question of 

 ^ the comparative primitiveness of this plant in relation to other 



members of its family and order, and to other angiosperms. 



Campbell (3) has studied Peperomia pellucida, and Johnson 

 has made detailed studies of this and 4 other species of the Pipera- 

 ceae, as well as of representative genera of the other 3 families of 

 the Piperales. Both investigators have called attention to certain 

 facts bearing also on the relationship of the Chloranthaceae. It is 

 on the basis of the views of these earlier investigators that the 

 writer attempts to interpret the peculiarities occurring in 

 Hedyosmum. 



An interesting feature of the reproductive structures of this 

 plant is the difference in character of the staminate and pistillate 

 inflorescences. Whereas the staminate flowers occur in long- 

 stalked ovoid catkins (see Engler and Prantl 7, fig. 13), the 

 pistillate flowers, on the contrary, occur in sparsely flowered 



panicles. 



distinct typ 



cence, along with the differentiation of the flowers into strictly 



m 



