OBSERVATIONS UPON DOUBLING OF FLOWERS. 375 



structures, but plants under cultivation sometimes throw off some 

 of their disguises and give additional evidence of no mean impor- 

 tance. Just as the man under the influence of intoxicating liquor 

 may reveal qualities of his nature that might have otherwise 

 remained securely hidden, so the distortions seen in cultivated 

 blossoms furnish a key which unlocks the secrets of normal struct- 

 ures. 



The common garden lily (Lilium tigrinum) often has, instead 

 of the six normal and similar parts to the perianth — the six sta- 

 mens and a single tricarpellary ovary — first a multiplication of the 

 petals and sepals, usually about twelve, followed (passing inward 

 in the flower) by a number of petal-stamens or stamen-petals. 

 The outer of these last have nearly lost their stamen character- 

 istics, being broad, highly colored, spotted, and with only ves- 

 tiges of anthers ; while the inner ones are exceedingly irregular, 

 and suggest that a severe struggle might have taken place be- 

 tween a hidden force that unimpeded would have made a petal, 

 and another aiming to produce a stamen. In all such flowers 

 there were no perfect stamens ; however, some of the petal-stamens 

 bore anther-lobes along their contorted edges, in which seemingly 

 perfect pollen-grains were produced in quantity. The pistil in all 

 these doubled flowers is an amalgamation of five or more car- 

 pels, but the tricarpellary type is not obliterated. In one instance 

 a petaloid structure was observed, with ovules arranged along the 

 mid-rib upon the upper side ; while above the two widely sepa- 

 rated edges were lines of chocolate color, characteristic of the 

 anther-lobes. In another instance the perianth was reduced to a 

 spathe-like structure, upon the inner veins of which were long 

 double lines of ovules. Within this structure was a much mis- 

 shapen pistil, compounded of at least six carpels, judging from 

 the styles and sections made of the ovary. 



In the ordinary case of doubling it is considered that a stamen 

 is replaced by a petal, and the additional petals of the doubled 

 flower are limited in number by that of the stamens. It is at 

 once seen that this view does not hold with the lily ; for, in place 

 of the six normal stamens, there are at least twelve petals, only a 

 few of the inner ones of which retain any marks of stamens. 

 There is, therefore, an augmentation of the petals and transforma- 

 tion of the stamens. In the cultivated tulip the perianth is often 

 increased to three or more times the normal number (six) of parts, 

 and in one flower the modified stamens were found increased to 

 nine. The pistil frequently shows signs of transforming into 

 petals and becomes winged and bright-colored along one or more 

 sutures, while the ovules are sometimes exposed to view between 

 the separated valves. 



The common garden paeonia is another largerflowered species, 



