Page:The Journal of Indian Botany, Volume III.djvu/12

2 THE JOURNAL OF INDIAN BOTANt. with the calyx tube. After dissecting the flower, I found however that this explanation could hardly be correct.

The structure is diagrammatically represented in Fig. II. The arrangement of the organs of the main flower is distinctly spiral. Apparently there are seven calyx-lobes (1-711), the innermost subtending the bud mentioned. There are two true petals (a, b), one between the sepals I and II, the other between III and IV. The full number of stamens is present, one of the inner series (8) having an atrophied loculus. The pistil is normal.

If the above interpretation were correct, the mutual arrangement of the series of petals and stamens would be difficult to explain. The following seems much more probable.

At some early stage in the development of the inflorescence, some mechanical agency removed a flower with its bracteole (VII) from the