A FRESH INVESTIGATION INTO THE STRUCTURE 

 OF THE FLOWER OF CANNA 



BY 



J. C. COSTERUS. 



(With Plates XXVII— XXVIII.) 



It is a well known fact that the flowers of Canna have 

 induced a number of researches and given rise to opinions 

 which have, however, never elicited a result satisfactory to 

 all parties. Morphologists, such as Lestiboudois, Eichler and 

 Schumann, have only formed opinions without a Arm base, 

 however admirable they may otherwise be on account of the 

 acuteness with which they had been devised. 



It would therefore at first sight seem bold to propose a 

 new explanation were it not that from a teratological point 

 of view a fresh aspect had been shown through the study of 

 monstrous Cannas which have been repeatedly brought under 

 the attention of Dr. Smith and myself and the explanation of 

 which urged the necessity of a clearer insight into the struc- 

 ture of the normal flower. (XI and XIII). 



To this must be added another circumstance which, though 

 it did not induce, yet facilitated the research, viz., the culture 

 of new varieties which surpassed the original species in size 

 and brought disappearing characters back to a greater distinct- 

 ness. In the chief place we owe to the well known French 

 cultivator, Mr. Crozy, a number of hybrids which are much 

 more accessible to a morphological examination than the so- 

 called Canna indica which owes its value more to the colours 



