Contributions towards a Flora of Ceylon. 461 



established by Lindley, characterized principally by the shape 

 of the leaves, but I believe them all to be variations of the 

 same plant. They may all be seen growing together, and, 

 indeed, the leaves vary very much on the same plant. 



Obs. II. — Lindley refers Trichopus to the natural order 

 Aristolochiacece, but from the above description it will be seen, 

 that there is the most perfect resemblance between its repro- 

 ductive organs and those of Tacca, with the exception of the 

 economy of the capsule, which is a little different. We have, 

 first of all, the adherent tube of the perianth and petaloid 

 limb of Tacca, then the six distinct stamens inserted into the 

 base of the segments of the perianth, the dilated filaments, 

 and the introrse anthers with their parallel cells separated by 

 a wide connective. In Tacca, however, the ovary is 1 -celled, 

 with numerous ovules attached to three parietal placentae, 

 while in Trichopus it is 3- celled, with only two ovules in each 

 cell. But if we look at the structure of Ataccia, the close 

 ally of Tacca, we there find that the placentae are so much 

 protruded from the walls that they almost reach the axis, and 

 hence it is all but 3-celled. A little further protrusion 

 would make it a truly 3-celled ovary, with the ovule attached 

 to the inner angles of the cells. The fruit in Tacca and 

 Ataccia is said to be baccate and indehiscent. In Trichopus 

 it is capsular, but I have not ascertained in what manner it 

 dehisces. The figure which Gaertner gives of the seed of 

 Trichopus is very good, but that which he has taken for the 

 embryo is the lower end of a membranous carunculus or aril 

 which fills the latteral sulcus, and generally projects a little 

 at the broad end of the seed. The embryo appears to be 

 truly monocotyledonous. 



So far then as the reproductive organs are concerned, 

 I think there can be but little doubt that Trichopus has 

 much greater affinity with Taccacece than with Aristolochia- 

 cece. As regards the habit of the plant it is somewhat pecu- 

 liar, but not unlike that of some species of Anthurium, a 



