Observations on the Inflorescence in the Family of the Plumbaginaceae

1. Some points of the inflorescence in the genera Plumbago, Plumbagella, Statice, Goniolimon and Armeria are described. 2. In Plumbago and Plumbagella the inflorescence, though being of the racemose type, may have a certain basal part in which lateral three-flowered dichasia are produced (Plumbago Larpentae, Plumbagella micrantha). 3. In Plumbago the usual calyx junction with sep. 2 towards the axis may occur (Pl. capensis), or the Papilionaceous junction with sep. 1 towards the bract (Larpentae). The Lobelia junction,described by Tickler, does not occur. 4. The corolla aestivation in Plumbago capensis and Pl. Larpentae is hetcrotropic in the usual form of contort SW. In some species or varieties it is probable that the aestivation may be a transitional form between the right autotropic and the anomotropic form. 5. The inflorescence of Statice may show many variations; the ultimate endings, the so-called glomerules are of a rather constant construction. 6. These glomerules are monochasia from ft; they may be cincinni (Limonium, St. Sp.) or sickles (Suworowi). 7. The ai-prophyll of the Statice glomerule may shift from the lateral position towards the axis (Limonium) or towards the bract (St. Sp.); in Suworowi its place is made uncertain by its abortion. The ßi prophyll is opposed to the «j,. The higher a-prophylls are either developed (Limonium, St. Sp.) or aborted (Suworowi); they may be approached adaxially towards the /J-prophylls, even so much so as to become situated at the opposite side of the flower (Limonium) or they may remain in their lateral place (St. Sp.). The position of the higher /S-prophylls may be lateral (St. Sp.) or somewhat shifted to the abaxial side (Limonium), or they may lie adaxially in the median plane (Suworowi). 8. The flowers of St. Limonium and St. Sp. have an emprosthodromous calyx spiral. 9. The Statice corolla is often contort; this may be heterotropic SW (Limonium) or right autotropic (Suworowi). 10. The inflorescence of Goniolimon is much like that of Statice Limonium; the glomerule is built in the same way, only with a trifid pt, and a deeply bifid 02. 11. The corolla aestivation in Goniolimon for flower I is intermediate 'between heterotropic contort SW and anomotropic; for flower II it is variably imbricate. 12. The inflorescence of the genus Armeria is a head of glomera (sickles from a) of glomerules (cincinni from /?). 13. The fertile bracts of Armeria all abort, with the exception of some of the external glomus bracts and of all /?i-bracts of the glomeruli. The sterile bracts all develop. 14. The corolla aestivation of Armeria is either right autotropic or heterotropous, probably SW.