1897. 



VARIATION IN RANUNCULUS REPENS. 



325 



Specimens with 4 sepals 



.. 5 .. 

 .. 6 ,. 



In the nine cases with four sepals there was a re-adjustment of 

 symmetry, the sepals being arranged at right angles to each other. 



Appended is an analysis and summary of the ig cases of variation, 

 from wiiicli one sees that in the cases with four sepals the means of 

 petals and stamens are above the average, and that of the carpels 

 somewhat below. In the instances of six sepals all three means are 

 considerably above the average ; and, finally, the means of all the four 

 variations are also all above the average. It appears, therefore, that 

 each whorl varies independently. 



Analysis of 19 Variations in the Calyx. 



With 4 sepals. With 6 sepals. 



Mean 



With 7 sepals : — 5 petals, 64 stamens, 45 carpels. 

 Petals. — (Fig. 2). In this diagram each dot represents six 

 specimens, the actual numbers being : — 



Specimens with 4 petals 

 ,. 5 .. 

 ,. 6 ,. 

 ., 7 M 



9 



10 



13 



7 



345 



60 



36 



24 



13 

 6 



7 



I 



In the case of a batch of 34 specimens (Nos. 337-370 inclusive) 

 analysed on p. 328, the mean number of petals is as high as 7'8, the 

 mean of their sepals being 5-0, of stamens 44*3, and carpels 29-3. In this 

 case the petal whorl (corolla) appears to have increased at the expense 

 of the stamen and carpel whorls. Such exchange is apparently not 

 general, at least to any marked extent, but the number of members of 

 any given whorl varies, as previously stated, independently of the 

 others. 



Stamens. — (Fig. 3). The chief point to note in this diagram is 

 the fair regularity of the curve, the recorded maximum, 55, closely 

 agreeing with the calculated mean, 54-534. 



Carpels. — (Fig. 4). Among other points of interest in this 

 ■diagram, the first to be observed is the extreme irregularity of the 



