VII.—On the structure and affinities of acmopyle Pancheri, Pilger

Abstract

Our knowledge of the monotypic New Caledonian genus Acmopyle is practically confined to incomplete descriptions of the external features by A. Brongniart and Gris (1869), Sir J. D. Hooker (1902), and Pilger (1903). The only other accounts of the plant are brief references in the ‘Genera Plantarum’ (Bentham and Hooker, 1883), the ‘Kew Bulletin’ (1892), and ‘The Gardeners’ Chronicle' (Masters, 1892). I therefore gladly welcomed Prof. Seward’s suggestion that I should undertake an investigation of some material collected in New Caledonia by Prof. R. H. Compton, M. A., during his expedition to that island in 1914. My very sincere thanks are due to Prof. Compton for his generosity in allowing me to work at this rare material. To Prof. Seward I owe a debt which I cannot adequately express; besides affording me the opportunity for carrying out this research, he showed an unfailing and kindly interest in the work, which, with his advice and able criticism on difficult theoretical questions, was quite indispensable to me. I am also deeply grateful to him for the privilege of consulting the proofs of the fourth volume of his work on Fossil Plants, the publication of which is shortly expected.