1. Presumably there is no definite season for the flower-bud differentiation of Hamaomoto in the pluvious tropics. In Japan's pluvious subtropical zones this plant has green leaves throughout the year, and flowers open on the smallest stocks. But in regions where many leaves wither in winter, flower buds may be formed on the largest axillae of about twenty-year-old plants having bulbs as big as ten centimeters in diameter, in June, July, August and September, when leaves grow thickest owing to the adequate temperature and much moisture. This presumption may be substantiated by the fact that if in the flower-bud differentiation season those whose flower buds have differentiated are deprived of their vitality by insufficient temperatures, leaf-sheath exfoliation, and other unfavorable conditions, the plants, when neglected, will later produce leaf buds and become deviational. It may also account for the fact that blooming large stocks grown in chilly regions become deviational on occasions.
2. In an unheated lower-temperature green house, Hamaomoto sends forth flower stems of 60 to 70cm in length and 1.5 to 2cm in diameter toward the end of June, and open flowers in about ten days, usually in the early part of July, at the rate of about two flowers on one flower system per day. The inflorescence of Hamaomoto is umbellar with four flowers on outer part, 4 in middle part and usually 4, sometimes n (e. g., 2, 5, 6...) in inner part, all undergo selffertilization. If pollinated by artificial crossing they will produce more seeds. All flowers blossom toward evenings and hold open for three days. Every flower lasts a fortnight. Seeds may be collected for a week, 40 to 60 days after flowering. When the fruit become ripe, their color changes from green to white-yellow. Every fruit is supposed to bear three seeds, but usually it bears only one seed or two. When the seed ripens, the position of its embryo moves to the underside of the leaning fruit because the embryo part is heavier. With this posture the seed drops of itself. When dropped on water, it floats holding that same posture. Every stock sends forth one flower stem or two, but bigger stocks give forth three stems. The flowering period is from the early part of July till that part of August, the hottest season of the year. The fruitripening time lasts from the early part of September till that part of October.
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