80 
WRIGHT : THE GENUS DIOSPYUOS 
stamen of a pair is very small and contains very little, if any ? 
pollen when mature. 
On the other hand, the staminodes of each female flower 
are always five in number, epipetalous, and arranged so as to 
alternate with the corolla segments. 
It is therefore to be noted that in the species which are 
monoecious only the staminodes are constant in position and 
number, the stamens may equal or double the staminodes in 
number, and a rudimentary pistil usually occurs in the 
centre of each male flower. As to whether the male flower 
can be derived from the female, or vice versa, by sterilization 
of sporogenous tissue, nothing need be said in this part of 
the paper. 
Dioecious and Polygamous .—This occurs in D. sylvatica, 
D. Gardneri, D. affinis, D. Embryopteris, and D. insignis. 
Under this section we must differentiate between the 
polygamous condition due to replacement of a staminode by 
a stamen, as in D. Embryopteris, and that due to the pistil 
of a male flower exerting its potentiality, as in D. affinis, D. 
sylvatica, and D. Gardneri. 
In D. Embryopteris we have the distinct male and female 
forms, and the species can be said to be dioecious. The 
female flowers have four staminodes* alternating with the 
corolla lobes and a central pistil having an eight-celled 
ovary. The male flowers have an indefinite number of 
stamens and a rudimentary pistil. It has, however, been 
noted by Hiern that the staminodes of the female flower 
may be replaced by perfect stamens, thus giving rise to a 
polygamous state. The male flowers of the same species 
likewise show an occasional fertile pistil, resulting in a 
polygamous condition on the same tree. 
In D. sylvatica, D. Gardneri, D. insignis, and D. affinis 
we have the dioecious and polygamous conditions well 
* Hiern states (p. 258) that D. Embryopteris has one to twelve stamino¬ 
des in the female flower. 
