TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 435 



In some, as in the Ranimculacece, the buds of the flower are in 

 a vascillating state between the form of stamens and flower-buds, 

 and even the sepals are in a vascillating state between bracteae 

 and sepals. In Helleborus, Nigella, &c., the inferior buds are 

 nearly like flowers, and also in Ranunculus the buds are only 

 to be regarded in the same state of transition to petals, as 

 the sterile flowers of Synantherece approach the form of 

 petals. By this is explained, not only why the nectaria of 

 Helleborus are axillary to the sepals, which they could not be 

 if they were originary petals or leaves, but also why the nec- 

 taria of BerberideeB, which are so nearly allied to Rantinculacece, 

 are axillary to the sepals ; and finally, why there is an evident 

 transition between stamens and petals in NymphcBacece, and 

 in all the families allied to Ranunculacece, the buds in the 

 flower having an equal tendency to form flowers, petals, and 

 stamens. 



The other case of Polyandrous plants is where no relation at 

 all is observable between the flowers, leaves, and the number 

 of stamens. This is to be explained by the analogous case, 

 where the flowers in capitula, as, for example, of some Synati- 

 therecB, are without distinct bracteae to each single flower ; and 

 it is not more singular, that the stamens should be in some 

 cases without their respective flower-leaves, than that the 

 flowers in some cases should be without determinate bracteae. 



6. When some floscules in the same verticillus are sterile or 

 without stamens, they are frequently those which are younger 

 or later than the others. The same reason is to be assigned 

 for the inequality of the stamens in the same verticillus. Ex. 

 Personatce, Labiatce, in which the two younger stamens are 

 smaller, and the youngest stamen fails. 



7. The ternary number in Monocotyledonous plants is de- 

 layed from a leaf-bud, in which two outer leaves, or squamae, 

 turn their back to the stem, and form two sepals ; and the 

 third sepal is the leaf, in the axilla of which the bud is situated. 

 This is evident in Carex (in which the two leaves coalesce into 

 the utriculus,) and in the Graminece. 



8. Dicotyledonous plants have their flowers formed on two 

 different plans. 



9. One group of them has originally opposite leaves ; on 

 these the floscules are naturally in pairs, and when a fifth flos- 

 cule exists, it is to be regarded as the last, and the only one of 

 the third pair which has found sufficient room to develop. (See 

 Calyx of Dianthus.) 



10. The other portion of Dicotyledonous plants has alternate 

 leaves, and, in consequence, impair and unequal floscules ; but 



2f2 



