FLOWER OF GNETUM 
159 
of an undetermined species of Gnetum from Singapore shews a peculiarity 
which is probably closely connected with the non-acropetal succession of the 
nodes. Mr I. H. Burkill writes regarding it : “ After flowering the upper part 
of the spike ( 5 ) breaks off and falls to the ground, leaving the flowers of the 
lowest axils.” A branch sent by Mr Burkill bears two peduncles from which 
all the flower-bearing nodes have fallen, and three with one, two with two 
and one with three nodal rings of flowers still in position. The complete 
inflorescence bears 14 nodes. 
The frequent occurrence of a terminal flower, on the female as well as on 
the male inflorescence, is well known 1 . Karsten 2 states that he is unable to 
confirm Strasburger’s observation, but the writer finds that terminal flowers 
are exceedingly common on male and female inflorescences of G. Gnemon 
obtained from Ceylon. When the tip of the spike is barren it does not 
possess the form nor the parts of a vegetative bud and it is clearly incapable 
of further development 3 . The apical meristem of the axis 4 is therefore able 
to produce either a barren tip with no potentiality of further elongation or a 
female flower. It is a reasonable inference from this fact that the barren tip 
is an aborted female flower. Its form sometimes suggests that it consists of 
the terminal “ segment ” of the axis and a cupule completely concrescent 
with it 5 . That such a concrescence may occur is shewn in Fig. 8 A, C. In 
this specimen of the male inflorescence of G. Gnemon, the meristematic ring 
behaves normally on one side of the lowest node (Fig. 8). On the opposite 
side it disappears owing to the complete concrescence of the cupule with 
the axis. Followed round the node, the meristematic ring enters a canal 
(Fig. 8 B, C) which becomes gradually smaller until the fusion is complete 
(Fig. 8 A). 
In Ephedra the apex of the female spike is usually aborted or represented 
by an arrested projection composed of a few cells ( E . distnehya 1 '). Accoiding 
to Strasburger 7 the terminal ovule of E. altissima is produced unmittelbai 
aus dem Scheitel der primaren Achselknospe ’ ; more recently it has been 
regarded as the result of the fusion of the primordia of two lateial ovules . 
In Welwitschia the apex of the axis of the female cone frequently contains 
one or more macrospores 9 . This fact, regarded by recent writeis as an 
1 Strasburger, 72, p. 158. 
2 Karsten, 1893, p. 342. 
3 Pearson, 1912, text tig. 6. , 
4 It is unfortunate that no one has yet been able to describe an infloiescence m 
development of nodes and internodes is incomplete. 
5 This suggestion was first made by Mr A. St Clair Capom, a student in this aioia ’ 
the result of a study of the inflorescence of an undetermined species of Cnetum, sent y 
from Singapore. 
6 Thoday and Berridge, 1912, p. 954. 
8 Thoday and Berridge, 1912, p. 962. 
7 Strasburger, l.c. p. 87. 
3 Pearson, 1909, p. 333. 
12 
A. B. H. 
