34 ADHESION 



tions an instance wherein the spathe of Nardssus hi- 

 florus was partially twisted in such a manner that the 

 lower surface of its median nerve was adherent to the 

 corresponding surface of one of the sepals, mid-rib to 

 mid-rib, thus apparently confirming a law of G. de 

 Hilaire, that when two parts of the same individual 

 unite, they generally do so by the corresponding sur- 

 faces or edges, but the rule is probably not so general 

 in its application as has been supposed. 



Adhesion of foliar to axile organs. The appendicular organs 

 may likewise be found united to the axile ones. This 

 union takes place in many ways ; sometimes the leaves 

 do not become detached from the stem for a con- 

 siderable distance, as in the so-called decurrent leaves, 

 at other times the leaves are prolonged at their base 

 into lobes, which are directed along the stem, and are 

 united with it. Turpin records a tendril of a vine 

 which was fused with the stem for some distance, and 

 bore leaves and other tendrils. Union of the leaf or 

 bract with the flower-stalk is not imcommon. It 

 occurs normally in the Lime and other plants. 



Adhesion of the sepals to the petals is spoken of by Morren 

 as calyphyomy, koKv^ <i>vonai.^ Moquin cites an 

 instance in Geranium nodosum^ in which one petal was 

 united by its lower surface to one of the segments of 

 the calyx. A similar circumstance has been observed 

 in Petunia violax^ea by Morren. Duchartre describes 

 an instance wherein one of the outer sepals of Cattleya 

 Forbesii was adherent to the labellum.** 



Adhesion of the stamens to the petals is of common occur- 

 rence under natural circumstances. Cassini has de- 

 scribed a malformation of Centaurea colli na, in which 

 two of the five stamens were completely grafted with 

 the corolla, the three others remaining perfectly free. 

 Adhesion of the petals to the column is not of infre- 



> Bull. Acad. Belg.,' vol. xix, part ii, p. 335. 

 ' Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr.,' 1860, p. 25. 



