194 



the inhabilanls, who readily distinguish it from other species which 

 they never touch." 



' Remarks on Melon Growing; by Mr. J. L. Middlemiss, gardener 

 at Bentham Hill, Tonbridge Wells.' 



' Vegetable Teratology ; by Dr. Morren ;' translated from ' Fuchsia, 

 ou Recueil d'Observations de Botanique,' &c. This paper treats of 

 abnormal corollas of the Calceolaria, one of which is so interesting 

 that I shall extract it. 



" The corolla, which was nearly 4 inches in length, had the form of 

 a Rhenish wine-flask, much elongated, straight at both extremities, 

 inflated at the middle, the part towards the summit being contracted 

 like the neck of a bottle ; the summit of the corolla itself was still 

 further contracted, and tapered in the form of the mouthpiece of a 

 flute, where it split in two oval openings. The corolla, when opened, 

 pi'esented no trace of stamens, only the pistil of regular form was 

 placed at its base and had its style curved to one side. The colour 

 is not less remarkable: on the ordinary flowers of this variety of Cal- 

 ceolaria, the base is straw colour, and there is a red tinge visible at 

 the inside, the internal cuticle being coloured red ; the inferior lip is 

 coloured with light red, but here it is the outer skin that is coloured. 

 Now in this monstrosity the base of the corolla presented at first a 

 yellow zone ; then a broad red band in the interior, proceeding from 

 the coloured part of the internal skin ; then came a zone of pure yel- 

 low, and at the contracted part the outer skin was coloured with red ; 

 and at last the small, narrow, terminal beak was of a rich yellow. 

 The base of the bottle-shaped corolla, it therefore appears, represented 

 the throat of the two-lipped normal corolla, and the conical end re- 

 presented the inferior lip. The hypertrophy of the bottle-shaped 

 corolla is evidently explained by the resorption of all the male organs. 

 ****** This pelorisation would seem to be a disposition of 

 parts in a regular form; for the Calceolaria, having the flower bilabi- 

 ate and slippered, is irregular, and the bottle-shaped peloria is a 

 regular form, with the exception of its extreme beak. Yet if properly 

 considered the pelorisation is not a regular disposition of parts. Such 

 an arrangement of a Calceolaria would consist of a central pistil, five 

 stamens, a rotate corolla with five lobes alternating with the stamens, 

 and a calyx with five teeth alternating with the corolla. Then the 

 "Calceolaria would pass from the family of Scrophulariaceae, into that 

 of SolanaocBB, and the flower would realise its regular type, its native 

 beauty — for it cannot be denied that beauty results from symmetry, 

 and symmetry is a disposition founded on regularity, or a harmonious 



