Inheritance of Fasciation in Zea, 



.95 



simulation. The experiRents of Lopriore * and others show the 

 former to be highly improbable, though Sorauerf notes fasciation 

 in a stem of Tecoma radicans due to appression to a wall and of 

 which the part reaching above the wall likewise showed fasciation. 

 In view of other ex])eriments carried on by us it seems unlikely 

 that the pressure exerted would cause a malformation similar in 

 appearance to a fasciation. 



The relation between simple and compound ears is well shown 

 in the following table : 



table III, showing REL.A.TION BETWEEN SIMPLE AND COMPOUND 

 EARS IN ZEA MAYS EVERTA. 



♦Decayed. 



This table sufficiently analyzes the results obtained to ob- 

 viate the necessity of a detailed description. It does not, however, 

 bring out the degree of fasciation shown by the various ears. 

 In the majority of cases the fasciation was not as pronounced 

 as that of the parents, though in several instances a bifurcation 

 of the ear could be noted, in one case the two tips being almost 

 three inches apart. In other words, the average of the offspring 

 shows the abnormality to a lesser degree than do the parents, 

 though among the descendants may be some which equal or 

 even surjDass them. The table shows that e\en when the 

 non-fasciated compound ears are left out of consideration, the 

 conclusion is reached that fasciation may be inherited bv a 

 large percentage of the offsj^ring, in one case 75^^^ > ^"d in another 

 almost that proportion, of the plants bearing fasciated ears. If 



♦I.opriore. G. I caratteri analoinici delle radici nablriforiiii.. 1902. 

 fSorauer, P. Handbuch der I'flanzenkrankheiten, 1: 334, 1906. 



