» Vol. H. No. 7.) BULLETIN OF THE TORREY BOTAMOAL CLUB. {New York, July, 1871. 
46, Silene inflata, Smith ; Cueubalus Behen, L.—This species of Silene 
presents an interesting case Of dimorphism. It produces two kinds 
of flowers on different plants, both of which are fertile, but with 
the peculiarity that one of the forms is pistillate only. 
Tn the latter the styles, which are usually tipped with pink, pro- 
trude at an early stage of the flower, and finally attain nearly 
double the length of the calyx. The petals and calyx are smaller 
than in the other form, the latter more exactly ovate, as Linnzeus 
describes it, and its color, whether green or mottled, is duller. The 
base of the styles forms a disk on the top of the ovary in both cases, 
but in the pistillate plant this is more prominent, giving it when 
mature an elongated ovate form, whereas that of the staminate plant 
18 more exactly ovate, just the opposite to the relation of the calyces. 
It is this disk which splits into the six teeth by which the capsule 
opens. The number of styles is commonly three; in three cases, 
however, I found four styles, and once, only two. If we open the 
calyx of a well advanced flower, we find the ovary surrounded to 
about half its height by ten abortive stamens, but at an early stage 
of the flower these stamens will be found to be perfectly formed. 
As the pistil must be fertilized from without, we may suppose, with 
Darwin, that it matures vigorously and exhausts the support which 
would otherwise go to the stamens ; whether they have a hereditary 
taint, I am unable to state, but it is probable ; the point might be 
determined by destroying the styles at their first appearance. 
Gartner, as quoted by Darwin (Plants & Animals under Domestica- 
tion, paye 166, Eng. ed. ), ascribes such tabescence in Silene to an in- 
herent tendency to become dicecious. I have not had the original 
to consult. Let us hope that some day New York may possess & 
Botanical Library : we have a fine foundation in Dr. Torrey’s. 
In the other form of flower there are ten stamens and three 
styles. The five outer stamens, alternating with the petals, are the 
first to elongate, and when the petals open attain the length of the 
styles in the flower which is pistillate only, and then open and dis- 
charge their pollen. At this stage of the flower the five inner 
stamens, which are opposite to and adhere by their bases to the 
claws of the petals, occupy with the styles of the same length the 
throat of the corolla. They do not, however, seem to discharge 
their pollen, till they and the styles have overtaken the other an- 
thers. The anthers are attached by a point only, are introverse, 
and soon drop off, whether by the action of the wind or insects. 
The split of the anthers and the tops of the filaments are usually 
pinkis | 
color which it afterwards in a great measure loses ; the ovary of the 
h ; in the majority of cases the young ovary is a deep pink, a 
pistillate form is generally green, but I have seen the cases reversed. 
The calyx of the staminate flowers is generally readily distinguished ne 
by a brighter pink. : aes i e 
Except in es the bi-lobed petals of both kind of flowers | 
nearly alike, perhaps the shoulders of the claws sablnat a3 re 
form are broader in proportion, and the claws in ome Oe toe. ae 
tals, present- 
ialf opened fomarethe cave overlap in font ofthe pal presents 
