Ficaria verna , and other Members of the Ranuncutaceae. 49 
bundle (Fig. 2, m ) ; this passes up the stalk, but on reaching the body of the 
nectary branches into three strands which traverse the bilobed dorsal lip. 
The androecium consists of numerous stamens, the number of which, as 
shown in the sequel, is very variable — most commonly thirty or some other 
multiple of three. The stamens are generally found to form a series of 
radial files, the number of files being commonly double that of the nectaries. 
There are thus usually twelve radial series, of which six terminate peripher- 
ally in a nectary, whilst the remaining six alternate with them ; the former 
^5 Fig. 2. Eranthis hyemalis. a and B, flowers with the androecium dissected away, showing 
the paired character of the supernumerary honey-leaves (/) ; c, floral diagram of typical cyclic 
flower ; d, partially bifurcated honey-leaf ; e and F, petaloid honey-leaves ; G and H, honey- 
leaves bearing anthers (a ) ; I and j, branched stamens ; K, scar of outer perianth segment ; L, of 
inner perianth segment ; M, scar of nectary ; N, scar of stamen ; v.b. vascular strand. 
each consists typically of two stamens and one nectary and the latter of 
three stamens. To this arrangement (Fig. 2, c) there are, however, numerous 
exceptions (Fig. 3), the number of orthostichies being sometimes as many 
as twenty and not infrequently eleven, thirteen, or fourteen. 
By removing a flower, before any of the stamens have dehisced, and 
placing it in a warm room under a low-power dissecting microscope, the 
whole sequence of dehiscence can be readily followed. We have confirmed 
the observation of Irmisch (loc. cit.), that the first stamens to mature are the 
three situated opposite the inner perianth segments. These are followed by 
E 
