[L j roc. Kot. Soc. Victoria, 33 (N.S.), 1921]. 



Akt. II J. — Floral Abnormalities in the Genera Eriostemon 

 and Glossodia. 



By ISABEL C. COOKSON, B.ISc. 

 (With Plate III. and 4 Text Figure.) 

 [Read 13th May, 1920.J 



1. Eriostemon. 



Specimens of flowers of Eriostemon obcvalis, Cunn., were found 

 in the early spring of 1919, which even on superficial examination 

 had deviated from the normal form. These at first were found on 

 one bush only, but on that bush every opened flower was abnor- 

 mal. When the same abnormality was also observed on three 

 other plants, all in close proximity to the one first found, I de- 

 cided to collect material, an examination of which has led to the 

 following result: — 



Occurrence and Nature of Abnormality. 



The plants occur in the Castlemaine district, in the hills which. 

 lie between the townships of Chewton and Fryerstown. E. obov- 

 alis grows well, and very abundantly in this area. Four abnormal 

 plants in all were found. Two of these, about twelve feet apart,, 

 are large bushes, evidently a few years old, whilst the remaining. 

 two are smaller, and probably younger. Each of the latter is one 

 foot from one another, and about two feet from one of the larger 

 plants. 



The fact that quickly drew my attention to these bushes was the 

 unusual appearance of their flowers. These were slightly smaller 

 than the normal, with petals more or less erect, in contrast to the 

 expanded petals of the normal flower. The reason for this was 

 not hard to find, for even without the aid of a lens, a small out- 

 growth containing pollen was seen to be present on the ventral 

 surface of almost every petal. In most cases the five petals were, 

 all antheroid, but in others, one, two, or more were found to be 

 without this structure. After the examination of a great num- 

 ber of buds and opened flowers, three only were found to have. 

 all their petals completely devoid of anther structure. 



