1° — 
species free from near its base, in others acinate up to the base 
of the lobes (an important character Which has often been neg¬ 
lected) ; the outer stamens are usually placed a little higher than 
the inner ones.- In the bud the filaments are always doubled up,* 
geniculate,r,and straighten out when the flower opens, and almost 
always become much longer than the perigon ; in a few species 
they do not exceed the length of the . lobes. The filaments are 
generally.attenuated from a broader base and terminate in a thin? 
point, on which^they bear the large and conspicuouVlinear,| near¬ 
ly quadrangular, somewhat introrse, 4-celled, versatile anther,, 
attached near or a little below the middle ; in A.Wirginica the 
filaments are thickened upwards, almost clavate. The globose, 
or elliptic, delicately reticulated pollen-cells have, on an average v 
a diameter of O.06 to mostly 0.08 or even o. 11 mm. M Sm 
The ovary consists of three carpels, opposite .the outer perigq^ 
nal lobes, forming'three cells, dn each of which two vertical rows 
of flat, horizontal, anatropous ovules spring from the central pla¬ 
centae. The stout, somewhat triangular, tubular style risestb.ihd- 
height^f,' the anthers and Sometimes above them, but its length) 
is variable and does not seem to be always characteristic?!' The 1 
stigmatic part is thickened, clavate, or somewhat capitate] arid* 
' is divided into three carinalj lobes, which $t last open some-’’ 
what| op'especially in the first section, expand hbrizonfally, an4; 
I are often emarginate or even obcordate ; after expansion thej'(at 
"•l^fist jn A. Virginiccf) exude a viscid diquid—-r-wlietfler stigma#c| 
fbr only intended to allure insects, has not been ascertaineclj|^B 
The flowers, of Agave-^I speak particularly of A. Virginica, 
the only one I have been able to observe in its development but 
I suspect that the same holds good, in all the species-Va'^ ves¬ 
pertine pr; nocturnal and proterandrqus. They open Mein the 
afternoon of in the* evening, and, while the filaments straighten 
Iput^and elongate, the anther-cells burst aM emit the large pollen 
grains^ and'-on the following morning are found withering and 
|pmpty. *The s style at >this period usually does, not yet exceed 
the pqrigori (in A. maculosa it is much porter), and its lobesjjjB 
Ld; but now it begn 
1^48 hours after 
tie have mostly fallen 
Lave flowers are odor< 
lie sweetest fragrance 
leering ; others are n 
Iv developed, as is als 
|mdat night, indicating 
Line insects to assis 
Lin this processor t 
pm the just bursting 
band older ones, has 
pressed, or ovate, obi 
lhase or contracted int 
Ipstrate, opening ab< 
(only. The numeroi 
fcicular or obliquely < 
(which, magnified ic 
■cells flat and scarce! 
I somewhat elevated 
■giving theVseed a ] 
War. TheTrexo 
jniculat^. (See.Jp., 
I filiform, cylindric 
pthehard, whitish. 
P In germinatic 
pn top of the larg 
pjhe behavior oi 
P won decaying 
fc on-Yucca. 3, 
(species bear no' 
in the axil < 
ilpows to a consii 
pgate the plant 
_ m 
5 , 6 7 8 9 10 Missou 
Botanic 
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