148 
A.J. Davey & C. M. Gibson. 
the proportions were roughly:—staminate 75%, pistillate 10%, the 
remaining 15% being monoecious or hermaphrodite. At the same time, 
in a very wet area, the proportions were:—staminate 56%, pistil¬ 
late 38%, hermaphrodite or mixed 6%. This represents countings 
of shoots traceable to the ground, which cannot with certainty 
be taken to represent individual plants. Since the staminate 
plants are always much more vigorous than the pistillate it 
is probable that the excess of staminate over pistillate individuals 
may be more apparent than real, although in the dry levels large 
areas of plants are met with, in which the pistillate type is almost 
entirely lacking. 
As is well known, the catkins are borne towards the ends 
of special shoots, and up to the time of flowering the staminate 
catkins are much larger than the pistillate. The bracts of the 
staminate catkin are broad and spreading, while those of the pistil¬ 
late catkin are narrow and compactly arranged. In both male 
and female catkins, the flowers occur singly in the axils of the 
bracts. The male consists of a group of four (sometimes more) 
stamens, without scales or bracteoles ; the female consists of a 
bicarpellary ovary flanked by two adnate scales or bracteoles, 
which enlarge considerably after fertilisation to form the charac¬ 
teristic wings of the fruit. As the pistillate catkin develops its 
axis lengthens and becomes woody, while its bracts enlarge and 
become green. The woody axis persists long after the fruit has 
been shed, thus providing an indication of the amount of fruit that 
has been set in preious seasons. 
The monoecious or “ mixed” plants may be grouped as follows, 
but all the types grade into one another. 
A. Plants or shoots bearing staminate and pistillate catkins 
of the normal type. These may occur on different shoots, or both 
may be found in the same shoots. Staminate, pistillate and mixed 
shoots may be found on the same plant. On the mixed shoots stam¬ 
inate catkins are generally found below, and pistillate above, but the 
reverse order may obtain. Androgynous catkins may be found 
in the intermediate region. There is much variation in the pro¬ 
portions of the different kinds of shoots present. 
B. Plants bearing androgynous catkins. These catkins are 
large and resemble the normal staminate catkins as regards form, 
and the size and shape of their bracts. Stamens generally occur 
in the lower part of the catkin and pistils above ; this is the 
arrangement commonly met with in those species of Myrica 
