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of several stems tei*minated in a flower having at least double the 

 usual number of parts, as indisputable evidence of the fact. He also 

 laid before the meeting examples of numerous branches laterally 

 arranged as if ready to combine, in immediate connexion with fasci- 

 ated stems, which, according to his view, are made up of similar 

 branches already combined. To the 5th and last objection he 

 answers that cases in which the adherence is incomplete, and on 

 which the marks of fusion of several stems are to be perceived, are in 

 fact frequently met with, and may be appealed to as strong direct evi- 

 dence in favour of the Linnean theory. A striking example is given 

 in DeCandolle's ' Organographie Vegetale' (pi. 3, f. 1) in a stem of 

 Spartium junceum having several branches only imperfectly fasciated; 

 and similar specimens of Aucuba Japonica and Cotoneaster micro- 

 phylla were exhibited, together with a fasciated ash, in which the 

 traces of numerous stems were observable upon the surface. 



The author stated his conclusion to be, " that the fasciated stem is 

 best explained from the principle of adherence, where, from super- 

 abundant nourishment, especially if accompanied by some check or 

 injury, numerous buds have been produced in close proximity ; and 

 that the supposition of a leaf-like expansion of the elements of a 

 single stem is insufficient to explain the usual appearances, and is 

 founded on a false analogy between fasciated and certain other ano- 

 malous stems." 



The specimens exhibited were from a collection formed by the 

 author and now in the Museum of Queen's College, Cork. They 

 consisted of — 1, an intimate adherence of two stems of Bunium flexu- 

 osum ; 2, an entire adherence of two stems with their heads of flowers 

 of Hieracium aureum, and of two or more stems of Primula veris ; 

 3, a fasciated stem of Ranunculus bulbosus, with the terminal flower 

 formed by the union of two, and the stem showing other signs of com- 

 position ; 4, a fasciated stem of Cheiranthus Cheiri, apparently con- 

 sisting of at least three united branches; 5, a fasciated stem of Vero- 

 nica maritima ; 6, two stems of the same plant, in which the buds 

 which usually produce individual flowers have produced secondary 

 stems themselves flower-bearing, so as to transform a simple into a 

 compound spike ; 7, a fasciated stem of Aucuba Japonica, seeming to 

 prove the composite nature of such stems ; 8, a fasciated stem of 

 Cotoneaster microphylla, in which the composite structure is peculi- 

 arly evident ; 9, a fasciated stem of Fraxinus excelsior showing a 

 crowd of buds and of small branches in a linear series at the extre- 

 mity of fasciated portions, and also showing the curved contraction of 



