On the Colour and Smell of Plants. 9 



To confirm this observation, I may state, that there are only 

 4.10 species in 100 having white flowers, and hardly 1.2 in the 

 same number possessing a smell. If we arrange the colour rela- 

 tions in a general table, we have the following results : 



*<mt? Taking the mean 



Colour of the flowers. In 4000 species. In 1000 species. 



White, 1193.3 species, 284 species. 



Red, 923 220 



Violet, 307-5 73 



Blue, 594.5 141 



Green, 153 36 



Yellow, 951.3 226 



Orange, 50 12 



Drown, 18.5 4 



Black, 8.5 2 



Hence it appears, that white is the most extensively distri- 

 buted colour ; and that among the coloured flowers, red, yel- 

 low, and blue are of more frequent occurrence than the three 

 intermediate tints, violet, green, and orange. Of the three 

 principal colours, yellow is the most abundant, but blue the 

 rarest ; while, of the three intermediate colours, violet is the 

 most frequent. When flowers occur having a green colour, 

 the tint is generally not pure, but is rather a dirty yellowish- 

 green ; for, indeed, a pure green, in flowers, is an extremely 

 rare phenomenon. It is also remarkable, that brown and 

 black, which do not present themselves in the optical spec- 

 trum, are rare in flowering plants. 



If we proceed in regard to the relations of smell in plants, 

 in the same manner as in those of colour, there results the fol- 

 lowing general view, from which it may be remarked, that the 

 few black flowering species can be brought into the calculation 

 only by deducing the general mean. 



Number of Odoriferous species of Taking the mean in 100 



Colours. species. the colour. specias of the colour, there 



occur, 



White, 1193.5 187 1 5.66 odoriferous. 



Red, 923 85.4 9.25 



Yellow, 951.3 75.6 7-94 



Blue, 694.5 30.9 5.18 



Green, 153 12.8 8.36 



Violet, 307.5 23.5 7-64 



Orange, 50 36 



Brown, 18.5 1.2 6.48 



General mean, 4200 419.3 9.99 



