74 
WRIGHT : THE GENUS DIOSPYROS 
right angles to the antero-posterior axis ; these are the first 
to drop, and each possesses in its axil a semilunar pedicellate 
flower. Each lateral flower is in close contact with the 
median flower, which is always the largest and the oldest 
(pi. IX., figs. 1-4). 
A second pair of bracts is seen in the early stages, arranged 
one on each side at right angles to the first pair, but at 
different levels ; each of these likewise possesses a small 
pedicellate flower in its axil. At a much later stage, some 
time after the fall of the first two bracts, a fifth bract appears 
between the median flower and the third lateral flower, and 
in its axil a shortly pedicellate flower arises. 
In point of time the median flower arising in the axil of 
a foliage leaf is not much in advance of the first pair of 
lateral flowers. The third flower does not, however, appear 
for some time, and the interval of time bet ween its appearance 
and the next flower, with which it forms a subopposite pair, 
is still more prolonged. The appearance of the fifth lateral 
flower is considerably delayed, and often it does not appear 
until the majority of the bracts of the other flowers have 
dropped. We therefore see that the interval of time between 
the appearance of successive flowers of the same inflorescence 
increases gradually, and the flowers do not cease to appear 
until the oldest individuals have undergone considerable 
expansion and their subtending bracts have dropped. 
We thus obtain finally a definite inflorescence having the 
terminal flower the oldest, but the youngest flower next to 
it, the development of each lateral flower being to the median 
centrifugal, but to one another centripetal. (See pi. IX., 
fig. 5.) 
If we now compare the development of the m'ale inflores¬ 
cence of any other species, approximately the same phases 
are passed through. In some species the number of lateral 
flowers is small, as in D. pruriens, whereas other species, 
notably D. Toposia and D. sylvatica, have a much more 
complicated system of flowers, in consequence of each lateral 
