112 



them whereas the other flowers showed 8 and 9, Miquel re- 

 cording no more than 6 and 7. 



A closer examination makes it clear that we have to do 

 with two flowers grown together (synanthy). Either of them 

 has its own calyx, but there is a dissepiment between them, 

 dividing the joint room into two. 



As this dissepiment unites two opposite sepals it is eas}'- to 

 count the lobes of the calyces belonging to each of the flowers : 

 one of them (I) has three whole and two half lobes, while 

 the other (II) shows 5 whole and also two half ones. It consists 

 for the rest of 5 petals, unmerons stamens, 5 teeth on the 

 tubus stamineus, 4 stigmas and a 5-celled ovary. Flower II 

 has 4 petals, a few stamens, B teeth on the tubus stamineus, 

 3 stigmas and a 4- celled ovary. 



To complete the description it should be mentioned that the 

 upper part of the peduucle (above the articulation) is distinct- 

 ly grooved and that the grooves lie in the plane of the disse- 

 piment in the double calyx. 



The explanation of this synanthy is not difficnlt to find. 

 Evidently we have to do here with an additional flower (II) 

 which has grown together with the normal one (I). The flowers 

 of Hibiscus ai'e inserted, however, separately in the axils of 

 (modified or unmodified) leaves, but in other members of the 

 family, viz. Malva silvestris and Althaea rosea there exists an 

 inflorescence — though few-flowered — , which according to 

 Eichler is to be compared with scorpioid cymes. 



I venture to suppose that in the present case a flower re- 

 maininar latent under normal circumstances and haviuQ- be- 

 come altogether rndimentary, has reappeared. This supposition 

 tallies with the articulation of the peduncle, of which the 

 inferior portion may be the pedunculus communis and the 

 topmost the only surviving pedicel. 



CARICACEAE. 



Carica Papai/a L. 



Coll. Dr. J. J. S. „at the door". 



