i\R 



ADHESION. 



parts of one or both flowers. Occasionally this union 

 is carried to such an extent that a bloom appears 

 to be single, when it is, in reality, composed of two or 

 more, the parts of which have become not only fused, 

 but, as it were, thrust into and completely incorpo- 

 rated one with another, and in such a manner as to 

 occupy the place of some parts of the flower which have 

 been suppressed. It must not be overlooked that this 

 adhesion of one flower to another is a very common 

 occurrence under natural circumstances, as in Lonicera, 

 in the common tomato, in PoinaXy Opercularia, Symjjhyo- 

 myrtuSj &c., while the large size of some of the culti- 

 vated sunflowers is in like manner due to the union 

 of two or more flower-heads. 



One of the simplest instances of synanthy is that 

 mentioned by M. Duchartre,^ in wliicli two flowers of 

 a hyacinth were united together simply by means of 

 two segments of the perianth, one from each flower. 

 A similar occurrence has been cited by M. Gay in 

 Narcissus chri/santJms. In like manner the blossoms of 

 Fuchsias or Loniceras occasionally become adherent 

 merely by their surface, without involving any other 

 change in the conformation of the flowers. M. Maugin 

 alludes to a case of this kind in Aristolochia Clematitis.^ 



But it is more usual for some of the organs to be 

 suppressed, so that the number of existing parts is less 

 than would be the case in two or more uncorabined 

 flowers. A few illustrations will exemplify this. In 

 two flowers of Matthiola incana, that I observed 

 to be joined together, there were eight sepals, eight 

 petals, and ten perfect stamens, eight long and two 

 short, instead of twelve. Closer examination showed 

 that the point of union between the two flowers occurred 

 just where, under ordinary circumstances, the two 

 short stamens would be. In this instance but little 

 suppression had occurred. In similar flowers of Nar- 

 CU8US incoinparabUis I remarked a ten-parted perianth, 



1 ' Bull. S<x,-. Bot. Fr.,' 1861, p. 159. 

 = Ibid.. 18o9, p. 4^1. 



