IN FUCHSIA GLOBOSA. 409 
is protruded, which afterwards turns out to be the commence- 
ment of an antipetalous stamen. This result is the same in all the 
Onagrariacee examined by Barcianu, so that the only inference 
possible is, that the stamens in question are secondary organs. 
It is indeed a remarkable fact that in some plants the small 
tubercle does not grow out to a stamen. This is the case in 
Circea, in which genus the antisepalous stamens are produced in 
the ordinary way, but the antipetalous ones do not advance beyond 
a slight protuberance at the base of the petal. Eucharidium 
behaves in a similar way, with this difference, however, that the 
protuberances grow somewhat larger. In Lopezia only, no trace 
even of antipetalous stamens was found by Barcianu, even in the 
youngest stages of the petals. As to its diagram, therefore, this 
flower altogether agrees with the ancestral progenitor of Fuchsia 
surmised by Simroth. 
Finally, there is one more circumstance to be considered. In 
the beginning of this section, attention was drawn to the frequeut 
occurrence of excrescences from the petals. Starting from a simple 
thickening of the base of the midrib, gradually a protuberance is 
formed which becomes more and more like a stamen, and in the 
fully developed stage actually becomes a stamen. Once we even 
met with two stamens connected with the base ofa petal. The 
additional petals, as described in § 1, may also produce stamens. 
If now we see that the petals of Fuchsia betray astrong tendency 
to produce stamens, and on the other hand that the stamens never 
give off a petal (at best areto a certain extent transformed into 
one), the answer to the question is not difficult. The only legiti- 
mate conclusion to be drawn is, that the petals of Fuchsia belong 
to an older whorl than the antipetalous stamens *. 
If we consider this point as satisfaetorily disposed of, what is 
to be inferred from the monstrosities observed by us and from 
such as are described by Morren and Prillieux? Simply this, 
that the petals of Fuchsia are apt to retreat to the background, 
and even to disappear altogether. That not only cultivated 
Fuchsias show this tendency is evident from observations made 
of some New-Zealand representatives of this genus, which accord- 
ing to Hemsley possess only very small petals. They constitute 
the transition to those species in which no petals at all are pre- 
sent, and which are natives of both New Zealand and South 
anation of obdiplostemony of the Ona- 
by St. Hilaire. Eichler readily admits 
'g researches as also on the fact that 
ithend. i. p. 337). 
* According to Eichler this expl 
grariaceee has already been suggested 
it and founds his argument on Barcianu 
stamens are produced by petals in some double flowers (Bh 
