TEMPERATURE. 379 



determined recently the elevation of temperature in 

 the ivory-palm {Phytelephas macrocarpd) at Kew. 

 " On April 20th, at one p.m., the temperature of the 

 house was 68° Fahr., the bulb of a thermometer, 

 which had been suspended for some time near the 

 plant in question, was placed in the centre of the 

 cream-coloured inflorescence, and the mercury almost 

 instantly rose to 92° showing an increase in tempe- 

 rature of 24° The following day, at the same hour, 

 the thermometer registered 72 in the house, and, 

 when placed in the same position in the centre of the 

 inflorescence, only rose to the same height as that 

 reached the preceding day, viz., 92° As the drawn- 

 out end of.the bulb prevented it from actually touch- 

 ing the convex ovaries, a small incision was made 

 in one of these, and the thermometer then rose to 

 94°."i 



The same observer also tested another allied plant 

 {Carludovica plumieri) and found the thermometer 

 rise from 73 to 90° but the plant was not in good 

 condition, for " the long barren stamens had already 

 changed from creamy white to cinnamon colour, and 

 the spathe had commenced to decompose, although 

 not three hours had elapsed since the flowers had 

 opened." 



" Development of Heat in Phytelephas," " Journ. Bot.," x. 

 (i88i),p. 154. 



