WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER tortu, 1890. 
1 THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLOWER, 
BY 
Mi. BW Bo SALMON, 
In bringing this subject before the Meeting, the author first 
commented on the reproduction of its kind as being the supreme 
effort of the plant, all growth from the emergence of the young 
_ plant from the seed until it is itself a seed-producer tending 
towards that end; the successive stages of growth which take 
place in the Plant ultimately culminating in those which collectively 
_ form the Flower, in which the seed is reproduced. 
Mr. Salmon then alluded to the sub-divisions of the Vegetable 
- Kingdom, briefly pointing out the structural differences of Mono 
and Di-cotyledonous plants. Attention was next drawn to the 
well-established fact that all parts of a plant, even those differing 
- most widely when fully developed, are referable to a few original 
forms, viz,: /hyllomes or leaf-structures, Caulomes, or stem- 
‘structures, Zvichomes, outgrowths of epidermal cells, such as 
hairs, &c., and Zhad/omes, structures in which the distinction of 
stem, leaf, and root is not perceptible, seaweeds for example. 
_ To illustrate how the component parts of the flower are modifica- 
tions of the typical leaf organ (Phyllome), being ulterior 
developments, Mr. Salmon proceeded with the aid of diagrams to 
describe the structure of seeds, taking examples from both 
~Mono-cotyledonous and Di-cotyledonous plants, showing that the 
fully developed embryo contained within consists of the principal 
_ parts of a matured plant, but, of course, in a rudimentary state. 
Notice was then directed to the germination of the seed, the 
growth of the young plant, the gradual development of its leaves, 
and an allusion made to the “ growing point,” in order to explain 
the process of growth. ‘The appearance of bracts on the stem, 
with development of the inflorescence, came next in order ; the 
parts of the flower were severally described, and each compared 
with the typical leaf, examples being given of how one organ may 
ye the homologue of another. Special attention was directed to 
the ovules, their fertilization, and development, by which they 
become seeds, the fruit produced, and the reproduction of the 
