OF CEYLON AND INDJA. 
403 
is quite enclosed in the persistent hard scaly bracts, the 
seeds are thus firmly held against the rock, and ultimately 
germinate in that position, as we have already seen. This 
species is consequently one in which there is no great 
difficulty in obtaining numbers of seedlings if the water- 
level be only sufficiently low. 
Farmeria metzgerioides is thus, so far as we as yet know, 
the solitary case among the Podostemaceæ of the possession 
of an adaptation to ensure the anchorage of the seeds in a 
position suitable for their germination and growth. The 
species is, perhaps in consequence of this, extremely abun- 
dant at Hakinda, perhaps the most abundant of all. On the 
other hand, the chance of distribution to a distance is 
probably very much diminished. However, Farmerias in 
vegetative condition, which appear to be specifically identical 
with the Hakinda form, have been found at other localities 
in Ceylon, some at a great distance, so that, unless we 
suppose the species to have evolved separately at each 
locality, we must assume that distribution to a distance is 
at times effected. 
Farmeria iiidica, Willis. 
(Plates XXXVII., XXXVIII.) 
Of this species, I have only material collected in the dry 
season, on exposed rocks, and can only mention the most 
interesting points of difference from F. metzgerioides. As 
PI. XXXVIII. shows, it is a very small plant, with an 
extremely slender creeping thallus, branched in the same 
way as in the preceding species, but differing from it in 
being attached to the rock by flat membranous feet, like 
those of Tristicha ramosissima(Pl. XXXVII., fig. 10). Some- 
times these feet project under the thallus, while sometimes 
they appear to be formed by a widening of the whole 
thallus ; both cases are shown. I have not seen the flower* 
The fruit is slightly stalked, and is dehiscent, with a larger 
upper lobe. Very commonly the latter has two or more 
(54) 
