Short Notes, 



On the Flowering of Barringtonia racemosa. 



The Barringtonias are trees of moderate size, belonging- to 

 the order Myrtacece and usually to be met with along tidal 

 rivers, or more rarely in the hill woods. The flowers are 

 produced in long hanging racemes, or in some species in short 

 erect spikes. In B. racemosa the pendulous spikes are about 2£ 

 feet long and bear about 30 flowers. They are sessile with a 

 short | inch ovary with 2 or 3 rounded green sepals and four 

 lanculate white petals, an inch long. The stamens are innu- 

 merable, with slender filaments an inch long and minute yellow 

 anthers, the style is nearly as long slender with a minute 

 capitate stigma and all deep crimson. 



The peculiarity of its flowering consists in the fact that it 

 is nocturnal. The flowers open about 4 or 5 to 16 on each spike 

 at a time, the buds commence to split about mid-day, and re- 

 main partially open till nightfall, fully expanding at about half- 

 past seven or eight. At that time the petals are spread out 

 widely, and the stamens radiate in all directions, so that the 

 flowers have a brush -like appearance. 



Before daylight the petals and stamens have fallen in a 

 mass, leaving only the calyx and the stiffly projecting style. 



They exhale a rather coarse scent somewhat resembling 

 that of meadow-sweet, and from a tree with about 20 flowers 

 open at once I could perceive the scent distinctly at 25 paces 

 off. The honey, abundant at night, is contained in a nectary 

 formed by the connate bases of the stamens. The flowers are 

 visited by moths, I caught a common grey Noctuid, and a 

 rather curious looking light red brown noctua with plicate wings. 



Moths were not very abundant at the flamers, when I 

 observed them, but perhaps this was due to the strong moonlight. 



B. A. Soc, No. 41, 1904 



