114 A CYTOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION OF SOME SPECIES 
sible are certainly too old for cytological investigation ; such anthers 
contain already pollengrains with the exine and intine fully formed. 
If such anthers are found at the top of the panicle only, right stages are 
certain to be found in abundance lower down. 
“ Some indication is also given by the length of the chief-axis between 
the axillae of the lowest lateral axes of the panicle and the highest stem 
node. When this part of the axis has begun to stretch so as to have at- 
tained a length of 2—5 cm, the panicle is probably in the right stage 
for fixing; when this part is already 8 or 10 cm long, the inflorescence 
is doubtless too old. 
In order to obtain suitable root-material, pieces of sugarcane were 
suspended in large glass dishes above water, rapped in moist filterpaper 
and the cover so put on, that air could enter. The number of roots for- 
med by the root-rings above the nodes as well as the time required for 
their development differed greatly in the case of different kinds of su- 
garcane. Soft-barked S. officinarum-varieties formed in a few days a 
number of roots suitable for the purpose. 
By the following characters the investigated Saccharum-species can 
be distinguished: 
Saccharum spontaneum. Stems thin, colorless, provided with a thick 
wax-covering. Internodes cilindrical. No or very little sugar. Long 
stolons present. Leaves variable in position and width. Inflorescen- 
ce small, the lower lateral axes of the first order only occasionally 
carrying axes of the second order. Axes long, soft hairy. Palea in- 
ferior always present in the spikelets. Lodiculae ciliated 
Saccharum officinarum. Stems thick of very diverse coloration, Thick- 
ness of the wax-covering very different in the case of different 
kinds. Internodes of very different shape. Sugar always present.No 
long stolons. Leaves variable in position and width but always 
broader than those of Saccharum spontaneum. Inflorescence large 
with axes of the Ist, 2d and 3d, sometimes even of the 4th order. 
Axes never with long hairs. Palea inferior present or absent. Lodi- 
culae nonciliated 
The British Saccharum-forms Chunnee and Ruckree II. Habit much 
like Saccharum spontaneum. Stems thin, pale-yellow, with a thick 
wax-covering. Internodes cylindrical. Sugar present. Long stolons 
