T. Holm — Anemiopsis Calif omi 



ca. 



Art. YI. — Anemiopsis Calif ornica (Nutt.) H. et A. An 

 anatomical study ; by Theo. Holm. (With six figures in 

 the text drawn by the author.) 



With JBentham and Hooker Anemiopsis H. et A. and 

 Gyrotheca Dcsne. are included in Houttuynia Thunbg., but 

 they all have been kept separate by Eichler* on account of 

 their floral structures. Houttuynia is described as possessing 

 only three stamens opposite the three carpels, while in Anemi- 

 opsis and Gyrotheca the flower has six stamens and three car- 

 pels in the former, but four in the latter ; the ovary is, more- 

 over, perfectly inferior in Gyrotheca. The arrangement of the 

 stamens in Anemiopsis is somewhat peculiar, as already 

 described by Payer, there being two in front and two behind 

 the ovary, with one on each side of this ; this position of the 

 stamens was, also, observed by the writer in the several inflo- 

 rescences examined. Furthermore, DeCandollef has treated 

 our genus as distinct from the others. 



Anemiopsis Calif ornica does not seem to be very well 

 known anatomically, and since the writer has lately received 

 some fresh and carefully collected specimens from California 

 through our friend Mr. Thos. H. Kearney, we have examined 

 the plant and offer now the following notes as a small contri- 

 bution to the knowledge of this peculiar genus. 



The thick rhizome is horizontal with several strong and 

 quite fleshy roots; its ramification is monopodia!, the apical 

 bud being purely vegetative, while the stolons and flower-bear- 

 ing stems are all lateral, proceeding from the axils of the leaves, 

 which form an open rosette. While, as already pointed out by 

 Eichler (1. c), the flowers are destitute of prophylla, such occur 

 at the very base of both the stolons and flower-bearing stems, 

 thus representing clado-prophylla4 These leaves are two in 

 number and situated to the right and left of the stems; they 

 are membranaceous, scale-like and prominently carinate,* but 

 simply one-nerved. The flower-bearing stems are often 

 branched, there being one terminal and two or three lateral 

 inflorescences preceded by one or two green leaves. The 

 stolons show the same structure, but with vegetative shoots 

 instead of inflorescences. 



Considered from an anatomical viewpoint the Piperacew% 

 have always attracted a good deal of attention, and they figure 



* Bliithendiagramme, vol. M, 1878, p. 6. 



fProdromus, vol. xvi, 1869, p. 237. 



\ Compare Casimir DeCandolle : Memoire sur la f amille des Piperacees. 

 (Mem. Soc. phys. Geneve, vol. xviii, 1865, p. 234.) 



§ The anatomy of the order has been described in Dr. H. Solereder's work: 

 Systematische Anatomie der Dicotyledonen. Stuttgart, 1899, p. 775. 



