SCHAFFNER: SEXUAL STATE IN SAGITTARIA LATIFOLIA 107 
18. A compound inflorescence; the first node with one stami- 
nate branch, one carpellate flower with large stamen vestiges, 
and one partly carpellate flower. This flower had a large number 
of normal, green carpels, six pollen-bearing stamens, and a 
number of stamen vestiges. The remaining part of the in- 
florescence was staminate. 
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS 
It is evident that the different expressions or types of in- 
florescences do not depend on differences of hereditary consti- 
tution. The genotype is the same, and the diversity of sexual 
expressions between different inflorescences and _ different 
branches or flowers of the same inflorescence represent alter- 
native functional activity. Recently Stout’ has come to similar 
conclusions in his paper on alternation of sexes in Cleome. He 
says that—‘‘The theory of sex chromosomes decidedly fails in 
general application to plants, and even in animals, where its 
application seems most marked, sex is often intergrading and 
reversible, showing that there is alternative expression rather 
than alternative inheritance.” 
One of the most unwarranted developments of recent genetic 
analysis is the setting up of an inadequate or rather improper 
symbolism to designate monecious and hermaphroditic states. 
One might, with nearly as much reason, use a genetic symbol] for 
ontogenetic fluctuations, as to have a simple symbol H for the 
heredities that lead to the many different types of normal and 
abnormal monecious conditions. There is a large number of 
types of moneciousness, and so far as sexual condition is con- 
cerned a plant with bisporangiate flowers is not fundamentally 
different from the monecious types. Individuals of both types 
express both maleness and femaleness in their bodies. There 
are hereditary factors or groups of factors which are responsible 
for the different types of hermaphroditic and bisporangiate ex- 
pressions developed under their normal environments, as well 
as for those which are unisexual or monosporangiate. The 
hereditary backsrourid is fundamental. But the expression of 
any type of sexual condition in the individual is not to be inter- 
*Srout, A. B. Alternation of sexes and intermittent apinagorie of 
ar in the spider flower’ (Cleome spinosa). Am. Jour. Bot. 10: 57 
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