^'. 



'=5 



-: ^ - 





t- 







? 





_^A. 





^ 



■'*■ 



r 

 ■ f 



" t 



1 

 I 



A I'evision of the l^cuus Mitolla etc. 



393 



place and a consequent greater fusion of the ovary with it, a reduction 

 of the stamen number to the 5 episepalous ones on account of the closer 

 crowding due to the narrowing of the axis, a progressive reduction of 

 the divisions of the petal from the base upward, leaving only the last 



Fig. 7. Pistils in the Sect. Eiimitellay showing shape and extent of fusion with the 

 axis, a M, diphylla^ b M. stauropetala , e and d M, stauropetala var. stenopetalay 



e and f M, irtfifJa, g M, trifida var. violacea^ h M, diversifolia, X ^^' 



one on each side, and finally in Var. violacea a disappearance of all 11 ic 

 divisions of the petal leaving only the middle portion. This reduction of 

 the petals has followed hand in hand with the reduction of the size of 

 the rest of the flower. ' An exactly similar course can be traced in the 





^ 



- ^ 



■■^■ 





e 



i^'ig. 8. Pistils in the Sect. Mitellastra, showing shape and extent oi* fusion with th.^ 

 ^xis. a M.niida, h M. caulescens, c M Brewer i, d M ovalis, e M.pentandrn, 



X 10. 



f M. pauciflom, g M.japomca 



M. stauropetala 



o* 



roup, ending 



up in a simihir manner in small entire 



petals in individuals of Var. steuopetala. Somewhat more divergent is 



many-veined. 3— 5-cleft petals, but all the other 



i¥. 



'folia 



floral structures show unmistakable connections with M. trifida and the 



species has undoubtedly arisen from this branch. 



Turninor fn fhp nfhpr ftpriinn of which M» 



to the other Section 



is the origin, we 





