| OCR Text |
Show 442 UTRICULARIA NEL UMBIFOLIA. CHAP. XVIII. species of certain closely allied ?ener~, had the same essential structure as those of Utrwular~.a montana, and whether they captured prey, I ~sked Prof. Oliver to. send me fragments from the herb~n~m at Kew. I_le kinc~ly selected so1ne of the most distinct forms, having entue leaves and believed to inhabit marshy ground or water.' My son, Francis Darwin, examin~d them, an~ has o·iven me the following observations.; but It should be borne in mind that it is extren1ely difficult to make out the structure of such minute and delicate 0 bj ects after they have been dried and pr.essed. * . Utricularia nelurnbifolia (Organ Mountains, Brazil).The habitat of this species is remarkable. According to its discoverer, Mr. Gardner,t it is aquatic, but "is only to b'e found growing in the water which collects in the bottom of the leaves of a large Tillandsia, that inhabits abundantly an arid rocky part of the mountain at an elevation of about 5000 feet above the level of the sea. Besides the ordinary method by seed, it propagates itself by runners, whic~ it throws. out from the base of the fiower-ste1n; this runner Is always found directing itself towards the nearest Tillanc~sia, when it inserts its point into the water and g1ves origin to a new plant, which in its turn sends out another shoot. In this manner I have seen not less than six plants united." The bladders resemble those of Utricularia montana in all essential respects, even to the presence of a few n1inute two-armed glands on the valve. Within one bladder there was the remnan~ of the abdomen of some larva or crustacean of large s1ze, * Prof. Oliver has given(' Proc. Linn. Soc.' vol. iv. p. 169) figures of the bladders of two South American speci , namely, Utricula1 ·ia J amesoniana and peltata ; but he does not appear to have paid particular attention to these organs. . t 'Travels in the Intonor of Brazil, 1836-H ,' P· 527 · CHAP. XVIII. UTRICULARIA AMETHYSTINA. 443 having a brush of long shaTp bristles at the apex. Other bladdeTs included fragments of articulat animals, and many of them contained brok n pieces of a curious organism, the nature of which was not recoo·- nised by anyone to who1n it was shown. 0 Utricularia an~ethystina (Guiana).-This species has small entire leaves, and is apparently a marsh plant; but it must grow in places where crustaceans exist, for there were two s1nall species within one of the· bladders. The bladders are nearly of the same share as those of Utricularia montana., and are covered outside with the usual papilloo; but they differ remarkably in the antennoo being reduced to two short points, united by a membrane hollowed out in the middle. This 1nembrane is covered with innumerable oblong glands supported on long footstalks; most of which are arranged in two rows converging towards the valve. Some, however, are seated on the margins of the Inembrane; and the short ventral suTface of the bladder between the petiole and valve, is thickly covered with' glands. Most of the heads had fallen off, and the footstalks alone remained; so that the ventral surface and the orifice, when viewed undeT a weak power, appeared as if clothed with :fine bristles. The valve is narrow, and bears a few almost sessile glands. The collar against ·which the edge shuts is yellowish, and presents the usual structure. From the large n urn ber of glands on the ventral surface and round the orifice, it is probable that this species lives in very foul water, from which it ~bsorbs matter, as well as from its captured and decayIng prey. Utricularia griffithii (Malay and Borneo).- The bladders are transparent and minute; one which was measured being only 1 ~ ~ 0 of an inch ('711 mm.) in diameter. The antennoo are of moderate length, and |
