Se 
142 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
As pointed out by earlier writers, the prolification con- 
sists in the production from the base of the fruit of astalk, 
or sometimes two or more stalks bearing a variable number 
of carpels closely packed together as may be beautifully 
seen in a cross section of the fruit. The margins of the 
carpels are fused in various degrees or free. A few ovules 
are sometimes produced. For other details the accompany- 
ing figures may be consulted. 
Of 125 proliferous fruits dissected, 100 had only a 
single central stalk while 25 had more. In several cases 
small bud-like or filamentous processes were seen near 
the base of the stalk bear- 
ing the accessory carpels, 
but when these produced no 
differentiated carpels they 
were not counted. The de- 
termination of the number 
of the included carpels is 
sometimes rather difficult 
owing to the varying degrees 
of fusion of the members of 
the outer whorls and the 
small size of those of the 
inner ones. The best cri- 
terion seems to be the num- 
ber of styles. These seem to be independent of the fusion 
of the carpels and they are usually well developed even in 
the smallest members of the inner whorls. The number 
of carpels counted in the 25 fruits containing more than 
one carpel-bearing pedicel was: — 22, 22, 33, 85, 38, 42, 
44, 46, 46, 46, 48, 49, 49, 51, 51, 55, 57, 64, 64, 66, 
71, 72, 83, 90, 90. The number of carpels in the 100 
fruits containing only a single carpel-bearing pedicel is 
shown in the accompanying table. The smallness of the 
series and the fact that the material was derived from two 
habitats renders any biometric discussion unprofitable. 
) 
3. PASSIFLORA GRACILIS, X 1. 
