Systematic Atavism 655 



The foliage of the plant is so distinct as to yield 

 botanical characters of sufficient importance to 

 justify this specific designation. The leaflets 

 are reduced in numbers and greatly modi- 

 fied, and the flowers in the inflorescence are re- 

 duced to two or three. This curious race came 

 in suddenly, without any premonition, and the 

 locality and date of its mutation are still on 

 record. Until some years ago it had not made 

 its appearance for a second time. Obviously it 

 is to be considered as a reversionary form. 

 The limp stems of the common tomatoes are in 

 all respects indicative of the cultivated condi- 

 tion. They cannot hold themselves erect, but 

 must be tied up to supports. The color of 

 the leaves is a paler green than should be ex- 

 pected from a wild plant. Considering other 

 species of the genus Solanum, of which the 

 Lycopersicum is a subdivision, the stems are as 

 a rule erect and self-supporting, with some few 

 exceptions. These, however, are special adapta- 

 tions as shown by the winding stems of the 

 bitter-sweet. 



From this discussion we seem justified in con- 

 cluding that the original appearance of the up- 

 right type was of the nature of systematic 

 atavism. It differs however, from the already 

 detailed cases in that it is not a monstrosity, nor 

 an ever-sporting race, but is as constant a form 



