THE NUMBER OF STAMENS AND CARPELS. 241 
Bocconta cordata, Willd. 
The number of stamens in a flower depends on the strength 
of the branch which bears it; and consequently there is a de- 
finite relation between the number of flowers and the number 
of stamens; thus the flowers of branches of secondary rank, 
bearing five flowers, carry more stamens than those on branches 
bearing three. 
TABLE XVIII. 
Number of Stamens in Flowers of Bocconia cordata according 
to Vigour of Branch. 
Average number of stamens in flowers of 
Branches bearing | Branches bearing 
5 flowers, 3 flowers. 
Terminal ........... 33 30 
Lowest lateral ...... 26:2 26:83 
2nd yy tenes 27°4 24:29 
3rd no 254 
4th p e 252 
If we arrange the flowers according to rank, we see that the 
branches of higher order carry fewer stamens, thus :— 
TABLE XIX. 
Number of Stamens in Flowers of Bocconia cordata according 
to Position on Branch. 
Average no. of 
stamens. 
2 flowers terminating branches of primary rank ...... 33:0 
20 ,, » " secondary , ...... 30:1 
35 ” ” ” tertiary "m 26:0 
1 
In order to avoid error by stamens falling off, the flowers were 
examined when the buds had not yet opened. 
