48 ADHESION. 



vergence is of frequent occurrence where fruits are 

 united by their stalks, because, as growth goes on, the 

 tendency must necessarily be towards separation and 

 divergence of the tips of the fruit. 



In some cases of Syncarpy the fusion and inter- 

 penetration of the carpels is carried to such an extent 

 that it is very difficult to trace on the outer surface the 

 lines of union. The fruit in these cases resembles a 

 single one of much larger size than usual. Moquin 

 mentions a double apple in which the connection was so 

 close that the fruit was not very different in form from 

 what is customary, and a similar thing happens with 

 the tomato. In the case of stone-fruits it sometimes 

 happens, not only that the outer portions are adherent, 

 but that the stones are so likewise. 



M. Roeper has observed two apples grafted together, 

 one of which had its stalk broken, and seemed evi- 

 dently borne and nourished by the other apple ;^ and 

 a similar occurrence happens not infrequently in the 

 cucumber. Moquin has seen three united cherries 

 having only a single stalk jointed to the central fruit, 

 the lateral cherries having each a slight depression or 

 cicatrix marking the situation of the suppressed stalks. 

 Schlotterbec has figured three apples presenting pre- 

 cisely similar appearances.^ 



Fusion of two or more nuts (Gorylus) is not un- 

 common ; I have seen as many as five so united.' In 

 these cases the fruits may be united together in a ring 

 or in linear series. 



In some Leguminosce, contrary to the general rule in 

 the order, more than one carpel is found ; thus peas, 

 French beans, and other similar plants, are occasionally 

 met with having two or more pods within the same 

 calyx, and in Gleditsrhia friacanthos and Ccesalpinia 

 digyna this is so commonly the case as to be consi- 

 dered almost the normal state. (De Cand. ' Mem. 



' Dc Cand., ' Phya. Veget.,' torn, ii, p. 781. 



Sched. de monatr. plant, ' Act. Helv.,' tab. i, fig. 8. 



Mem. greffe,' loc. cit., tab. xxiv, p. 334. 



