177 



Let us now look at the cases of coalescence. Cutting a series 

 of transverse sections from the top to the base of a well swollen 

 flowerbud it will be observed that the main style >S' is con- 

 nected with the ala /?, s' with y and s with d (i. e. in the first 

 flower). Consequently the outer alae are all in connection with 

 the opposing styles. 



About .V we have already mentioned its linking S to the 

 only fertile stamen and as it is longitudinally folded in the 

 bud it presses the anther against the wing of the style. When 

 the flower opens the staminode a; unfolds and so draws the 

 anther back from the style on which, however, it leaves all 

 the pollen, in the shape of an oval spot (fig. 3). This remark- 

 able contrivance, reflected also in the course of the vascular 

 bundles (fig. 6) is from an ontogenetical point of view indu- 

 bitably connected with the falling off of both the stamens and 

 two styles. The broadening of the remaining style by means 

 of a wing, its coalescence with x which itself caught hold of 

 the stamen, assure fertilisation which otherwise would be greatly 

 endangered. If the term were not so heavy, I should be inclined 

 to propose for x the characterising name; "augur nuptiarum" 

 which at any rate would be more apposite than "parapetalum" 

 which name according to Kranzlin (XII, p. 17) was given toby 

 one of the first describers of Canna, Count Centurius von Hoff- 

 MANNSEGG. For the sake of brevity, however, we continue in- 

 dicating it by .y. 



In which way a, .c and labellum are connected through the 

 carpellary tube and more especially with the styles has already 

 been pointed out above. In fact, the whole tube consists of 

 1° the basal parts of the styles and their expansions, 2° the 

 three inner staminodes, 3° the basal portions of the (outer) 

 alae, 4° the basal portions of the petals. Only the sepals are 

 completely free and spring as a loose envelope from the 

 top of the ovary. 



The symmetry of the Canna-flower. In his paper already 

 quoted Schumann (VII) points to the overlapping at both sides 

 of a sepal or petal as being the first symptom of bilateral 



