NOTES ON SILENE MARITIMA, LINN. 79 



IV. — .^50 Flotvers, examined 13th August, 1S8S. Collected between 

 Asliton and Cloch Llghtliouse. 



No. of Flowers. Percentage 

 Flowers with 2 styles, 2 ... "8 S 



I " JJg ■•■ |2.]J -Variation, 54-8 per cent. 



',' 5 Z 29 '.'. 11-6 j 



A variation is thus shown for the 1000 flowers as 

 follows : 



Flowers with 2 styles, 7 = 1 per cent. 



4 „ 420 = 42 



5 „ 90= 9 



The Total variation— 51*7 i3er cent.— shows that fully- 

 half the 1000 flowers had fewer or more styles than 

 the number cliaracteristic of the genus. 



If further observations tend to establish the amount 

 of variation here indicated, it will, I think, deserve 

 more special reference in any future description of 

 the species than has hitherto been given to it. 



An interesting question suggests itself in connec- 

 tion with this divergence : Is this sjiecies of Silene 

 in j)rocess of development to a more perfect condi- 

 tion ? It is, I think, generally admitted by botanists 

 that the syiiimetrical flower is the more perfect one. 

 The flowers of Silene are unsymmetrical, as they 

 have a 5-di\ided calyx, 5 petals, 10 stamens, and 3 

 styles ; and to be synnnetrical, and therefore more 

 perfect, there should be 5 or 10 styles. As the vari- 

 tion in the species under consideration shows a 

 decided tendency towards an equalization of the 

 parts of the flower, it may be that we have here a 

 case of progression towards a higher development. 

 Possibly these or similar tables may, by serving as 

 a basis for future comparison, show whether such a 

 progressive development exists ; but for the present 

 it must be understood that these JVotes are the 

 result of observations made over a very limited 

 area, and that a more extended examination may 

 alter the i^ercentage of variation from that here 

 brought out. Meantime, I shall be very glad of any 

 information bearing on this subject. 



