174 



AN ERRATIC IVY. 



into four or three, alternating with the ovarian cavities e, ultimately 

 dividing, so as to form twice as many cords as there are ovarian 

 cells, some divisions supplying the ovules,/, the others passing into 

 the styles. 



Assuming this presentation of the facts to be correct, the ex- 

 planation of the monstrous flowers is complex, and the processes of 

 growth and development somewhat conflicting. 



First of all the separation, or rather the want of union, between 

 the carpels and the receptacular tube, entailing hypogyny in place 

 of epigyny, must be considered as an arrest of development and 



Fig. 2. — Plans showing the arrangement of the vascular cords at different 

 levels in the pedicel and flower. 



a possible illustration of reversion to an antecedent condition. 

 Similar changes are not uncommon among the Umbelliferae and 

 other orders with a normally " inferior," ovary,* and may be 

 plausibly attributed to reversion to an ancestral condition such a3 

 was in existence before the nascent succulent tissues had tempted 

 the appetite of the birds. This development by variation of this 

 tissue would, according to modern theories, be encouraged by 



* While writing these remarks I have been favoured by Dr. Shearer, of 

 Liverpool, with the opportunity of inspecting a Kose {Uosa spinosissima) 

 wherein the receptacular tube was undeveloped, and the free carpelswere exposed 

 on a nearly flat receptacle as in Potentilla, or as in Hortonia (Monimiaceas), the 

 stamens being apparently hypogynous, 



