THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLOEAL WHOELS. 193 



Nearly the same order of development as the above is 

 maintained with some that have rather inconspicuous flowers 

 in consequence of the corolla being small ; but then it must 

 be remembered that the other organs are proportionally- 

 small too, and, if they come at all, are visited by small 

 insects. Such, for example, are Malva crispa, Veronica 

 serpyllifolia^ V. agrestis, etc. In these flowers, however, the 

 pistil has a remarkably rapid growth as compared with the 

 preceding cases. The cause is, that energy is now directed 

 at once to that organ, instead of being so largely occupied by 

 the- stamens and corolla. The result is that the pistil 

 matures more rapidly than in the previous cases, and 

 sometimes even simultaneously with the stamens. The 

 flower is therefore more nearly homogamous, and self- 

 fertilisation can with them more easily ensue. 



In many cases amongst inconspicuous flowers I could 

 detect no appreciable difference at all in the rates of 

 development of the essential organs. I would then describe 

 the order as Calyx, Stamens -f Pistil, Corolla. As examples 

 are Lejpidium campestre, Sisymhrium AlUaria, and S. officinalis, 

 Nasturtium officinale, Corrigiola littoralis, (Enothera historta, 

 etc. These are all, it will be noticed, very small-flowered 

 plants. They are thus homogamous, and habitually self- 

 fertilising. 



The next order of development to be noticed is Calyx, 

 Stamens, Corolla, Pistil. As far as my observations go, this 

 order appears to be mainly confined to gamopetalous flowers, 

 with a hypogynous corolla, as Linaria minor, L. Cymhalaria, 

 Veronica spicata, Primula,* Ancliusa officinalis, Borago offici- 



* This order of development in Primrose has been observed by- 

 others, and apparently thought to be exceptional ; so that the somewhat 

 strange suggestion of the corolla being an outgrowth of the andrcecium 

 was made by Pfeffer ; but it by no means stands alone in this respect. 

 See Sachs, I.e., p. 609 ; Jahrh.fiir Wissensch., Box., vol. vii., p. 194. 

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