DISCONTINUOUS VARIATION. 



47 



was collected from various sources, between the years 

 1890-95, and was examined by various people. The 

 number of florets varied from 7 to 43, the following 

 being the frequency of their occurrence: 



Those results are plotted out in the form of a curve 

 in Fig. 14. Here we see that the 21 floret form occurs 

 by far the most frequently, but that there are also 

 secondary smaller maxima or humps on the curve for 13, 

 26, and 34 floret forms. This curve thus gives one a 

 good idea both as to the range of variation of the num- 

 ber of florets in this flower, and also as to the most fre- 

 quently occurring forms. Enumerations of small num- 

 bers of specimens of local races showed the 13 floret 

 form to be the commonest form in one case, and the 34 

 floret form in another, but these results obviously fail to 

 give a true idea of the variation of the plant. 



Similar enumerations of the florets of various other 

 species of the Composites showed the following to be 

 the most frequently occurring numbers of ray florets, 



