OF THE SEPALS, ETC. 27 



ways ; their edges soraetimes cohere between the leaf 

 and the stem, and thus form a solit^y intra-axillaiy 

 stipule. At other times they become united in such a 

 manner as to produce a single notched stipule opposite 

 to the leaf. Again, in other cases, they are so united 

 on each side of the stem, that in place of fom* there 

 seem only to exist two, common to the two leaves as 

 in the Hop. 



To the Rev. M. J. Berkeley I am indebted for speci- 

 mens of a curious pitcher-hke formation in the garden 

 Pea. The structure in question consisted of a stalked 

 foliaceous cup proceeding from the inflorescence. On 

 examination of the ordinary inflorescence, there will 

 be seen at the base of the upper of two flowers a small 

 rudimentary bract, having a swollen cii'cular or ring-like 

 base, from which proceeds a small awl-shaped process, 

 representing the midrib of an abortive leaf. In some 

 of Mr. Berkeley's specimens, the stipules were developed 

 as leafy appendages at the base of the leaf-stalk or 

 midrib, the latter retaining its shortened form, while, 

 in others, the two stipules had become connate into 

 a cupj and all trace of the midrib was lost. The cup in 

 question would thus seein to have been formed from the 

 connation of two stipules which are ordinarily abortive. 



Cohesion of the bracts by their edges, so as to form 

 a tubular involucre, or by their siu*faces, so as to form 

 a cupule, is not of uncommon occurrence, under natural 

 conditions, and may be met with in plants which 

 ordinarily do not exhibit this appearance. 



Cohesion of the sepals in a nonnally polypetalous calyx 

 renders the latter gamosepalous, and is not of uncommon 

 occurrence,' to a pai-tial extent, though rarely met 

 ^vdth complete. I have observed a jimction of the 

 - i :ds to be one of the commonest malformations 

 iuig Orchids, indeed such a state of thuigs occurs 

 normally in Masdevallia Cyprifedium, &c. An illus- 

 tration of this occurrence is given by Mr. J. T. 

 MoLTfrridLTO in Ophrifn innfrh'ffn'n^m * Soeinaiui's Journal 



