60 LEAFLETS, 
But first, let me acknowledge that I take a lively interest in 
the reviewer’s speculations as to the origin of the cichoriaceous 
corolla, which, by the way, is erroneously spoken of as “ asym- 
metrical ;”’ forit was long since established in the terminology 
of our science that the word symmetrical applies only to the 
numerical relation between the floral circles, and is predicable 
of nothing less than the flower asa whole. Neither an asym- 
metrical or a symmetrical corolla, considered apart, can exist ; 
and the kind of corolla in question is irregular, very irregular ; 
that is all. 
Now, while for reasons, some of which were given years ago, 
others of which I may here adduce, I find it impossible to think 
of the Eupatoriacez and Cichoriacez as being of oneand the same 
natural family, or in anywise intimately related, I should never 
think to look for indications of the evolution of the ligulate 
corolla of the latter from the tubular one of the former group. 
I have, indeed, in the careful investigation of fresh flowers of 
many species of Lobeliaceous plants—between which group and 
the Cichoriacee all systematists of the last hundred and twenty- 
five years have acknowledged the real affinity—I say I have 
sought again and again in those lobeliaceous corollas that are 
split down on one side, in some to the very base, to find the 
prototype of the cichoriaceous ligule. But it is sometime since 
I abandoned that line of research as hopeless. The ligule de- 
rived from any bilabiate corolla with a split down between the 
two small lobes, would be expected to present at its apex little 
if anything more than the three teeth of the lower lip; the 
remains of the two small upper lobes, if any there should be, 
ought to be small, very small, and in a manner lateral teeth, 
But the fact is, that the cichoriaceous corolla exhibits a trun- 
cate apex distinctly and equally, often sharply, five-toothed. In 
my own speculations this one hard irrefragable fact has demol- 
ished what was once a favorite hypothesis as to the derivation of 
the chicory ligule. Those ten sharp equal teeth all terminating 
in a line, as we may say, must indicate an origin in some 
perfectly regular pentamerous corolla-type, not even necessarily 
sympetalous ; possibly, or even plausibly, from one in which all 
