ACACIA SEEDLINGS. 391 



recorded that the third seed germinated after having 

 remained in the soil for twenty-three months. The fourth 

 seed was left in the soil and watered regularly for three 

 years, then taken out and found to be quite hard and sound; 

 after having been placed in boiling water it was again 

 planted, with the result that the seedling appeared in 

 three weeks. 



Length of Hypocotyl. 



The variation in the length of hypocotyl was referred to 

 in Part I, (p. 86), when the greatest length then noticed 

 was given as 5*5 cm. Recently a seedling was raised of 

 Acacia Baileyana whose hypocotyl measured 10'5 cm. 

 Sequence in the Development of Leaves. 



As previously pointed out, the great bulk of Acacia seed- 

 lings have only one simply-pinnate leaf and this is the first 

 leaf on the plant, the second leaf being usually bipinnate. 

 A few species have an opposite pair of simply-pinnate 

 leaves. In addition to those mentioned in previous lists 

 (Parts I and II), as having only one pinnate leaf, are the 

 following: — 



A. verticillata Willd. 1 A. subccerulea Lindl. 



A, montana Benth. (with an A. subulata Bonpl. 



exception). A. cyclopis A. Cunn. 



A. Chalkeri Maiden. A, polybotrya Benth. 



Another species which has an opposite pair of pinnate 

 leaves is A. crassiuscula Wendl., (A. pycnopliylla Benth.). 



In the case of A. montana nine plants each produced one 

 pinnate leaf, while one seedling had an opposite pair, so 

 that it seems evident this species is still in something of a 

 transition stage. 



Out of about eighty species examined, only seven have 

 constantly produced an opposite pair of simply-pinnate 



1 Also recorded by Sir John Lubbock. See Part I, p. 83 of these papers. 

 The name should be A. verticillata Willd. non Sieb. 



