608 Pearson . — On the Micro sporangium and Micro spore of 
In G. scandens the uppermost flowers in each ring , 1 as in G. Bruno- 
nianum and other Indo-Malayan species, are female (incomplete). The 
occurrence of female flowers in this position seems to be extremely rare 
in the African species. A single example has been observed in G. africanum , 
and in this case the upper circle of the ring showed only one female flower . 2 
In the young spikes the flowers are completely concealed by the bract- 
cupule, the edge of which is closely applied to the projecting base of the 
next younger cupule in G. scandens , or to the base of the succeeding 
internode in the African species. The appearance of the anthers at the 
surface before they dehisce is due primarily to the elongation of the floral 
axis, in consequence of which the im- 
bricating leaves of the perianth are 
pushed apart and the edge of the 
cupule is forced outwards. It is 
probable that at the same time there 
occurs a slight intercalary elongation 
of the axis of the inflorescence. In 
G. Brunonianum , to which G. scandens 
possesses so high a degree of struc- 
tural resemblance, the apex of the 
male spike is commonly occupied by 
a single female flower . 3 A similar 
case has not been observed in G. scan- 
dens , nor in either of the African 
species. 
In G. africanum and G. Buch- 
holzianum , the peduncle immediately 
below the pair of sterile bracts con- 
Text-fig. i. Diagram. °f transverse section tains twelve to fifteen bundles in the 
ol peduncle of male spike of G. afncamim , 
just below insertion of pair of reduced sterile ring. Four traces of single or double 
U Y =lezl\rIce.' x 28.^ ^ = leaf-base; origin arising from these pass into 
each leaf (Text-fig. 1) ; the two 
median pass out direct and in advance of the other two, which, arising 
from the sides of the ring, pursue a curved path in the cortex through 
nearly a quarter of a circle. In G. scandens each of the corresponding 
pairs of bracts receives seven traces, of which the median leaves the 
ring first ; the rest follow in pairs, each succeeding pair being separated 
by a wider angle from the median. In all three species the ring 
above the insertion of the sterile bracts contains from twelve to fourteen 
1 In G. scandens the two uppermost nodes bear male flowers only ; and occasionally the lowest 
node is barren and bears only hairs. 
2 This was seen in a hand-section. It is therefore possible that more than one female flower 
may have been present. 
3 Strasburger (’72). 
n. 
