BY J. J. FLETCHER 881 



Dr. Cleland also very kindly sent me six young seedlings in 

 spirit. Three of these (nominally) had 3 cotyledons, two had 4, 

 and one had 5. One of the examples with 3 afforded an instance 

 of incomplete separation. Three is evidently the dominant 

 number in Nuytsia. 



The Order Loranthacece, according to the "Genera Plantarum," 

 comprises 13 genera and about 500 species. In all the other 

 genera of the Order dicotylous embryos appear to prevail, as a 

 rule, with the exception of Nuytsia, and Subsection a (Eupsitta- 

 canthus) of Section 16 (Psittacanthus, comprising certain South 

 American species with versatile anthers) of the genus Loranthus, 

 as subdivided in the " Genera Plantarum," of which the authors 

 say — " Cotyledones ubi notse 4 (rarius ex Eichl. 5-6)." 



In conjunction with this fact there are to be considered the 

 inconstancy in the number of the cotyledonary members, the 

 wide range of variation (2 5) encountered in less than 100 indi- 

 viduals, and the evidence furnished by incompletely subdivided 

 cotyledonary members. Hence the conclusion seems justifiable 

 that Nuytsia is another instance like Persoonia. 



I have examined the cotyledons of a number of seedlings of 

 Atkinsonia ligustrina F.v.M., the Eastern Australian terrestrial 

 member of the Order, without finding any anomalies. But in a 

 very few examples of young seedlings of Loranthus miraculosus 

 Miq., I have noted the presence of three cotyledons. 



I gladly acknowledge my indebtedness to Mr. C. T. Musson, 

 of the Hawkesbury Agricultural College, for very material assist- 

 ance in obtaining seedlings of P. nutans^ and for the negatives 

 from which figs. 3 and 5 of Plate xxxiv. were reproduced; to Dr. 

 Cleland of Perth, for seeds and specimens of, and much informa- 

 tion about, Nuytsia; and to Dr. R. Greig-Smith for his trouble 

 in providing me with the excellent photos of the seedlings of 

 Nuytsia reproduced in Plate xxxv. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES XXXIV. -XXXV. 

 Plate xxxiv. 

 Fig. 1.— Seedling of Persoonia ferruginea, with two cotyledons. 

 Fig.2. — Seedling of P. salicina, with three cotyledons (the middle one 

 appearing foreshortened). 



