TERATOLOGY IN PASSIFLORA 203 



For the first series the collection and dissection of all the 10,399 

 mature and immature fruits was carried out from September 29 

 to October 3. Of the 9570 mature fruits 1519 or 15.87% are ab- 

 normal, while of the immature fruits, only 96 or 11.58% are to 

 be thus classified. 



In the second culture only one gathering was made, that of 

 October 6. Of the 8369 fully matured fruits which were dis- 

 sected 1288, or 15.39% were in some degree abnormal, while of 

 the 1896 immature fruits only 63 or 3.32% were abnormal. 



III. CONCLUDING REMARKS 



Concerning the factors immediately involved in the produc- 

 tion of teratological structures comparatively little is known. 

 This is in part due to the difficulty of obtaining adequate mate- 

 rial. In Passiflora gracilis we have been able to secure rather 

 large series of data bearing on this problem. 



These definitely estabUsh the fact that in successive collec- 

 tions of mature fruits from the same plant the proportion of ab- 

 normal fruits decreases. Furthermore collections of mature and 

 immature fruits made at the same time generally show the great- 

 est proportions of abnormality in the more mature, that is to 

 say the older fruits. In short the proportion of abnormaUties 

 in the fruits decreases as the plant becomes older. 



Thus there is in respect to this complex of variations a periodi- 

 city analogous to that w^hich has been demonstrated in other forms 

 by DeVries and others. The phenomenon here observed differs 

 from the usual condition in that the maximum is an initial one. 



