86 ALTERATION OF POSITION. 



characters used to distinguish genera ; thus one of the 

 distinctions between rye-grass {LoUum) and wheat 

 (Triticum) resides in the relative position of the spike- 

 lets and the main stem ; in Triticum the spikelets are 

 placed with their backs against the rachis, in Lolium 

 with one edge against it ; but in a specimen of rye- 

 grass that has come under my own observation, the 

 arrangement was that of Triticum. 



M. Kirschleger relates having found a specimen of 

 Leucanthemum p'ateyise, in which the ligulate female 

 flowers Avere growing singly in the axils of the upper 

 leaves of the stem/ The ordinary capitulum would 

 here seem to have been replaced by a spike or a raceme. 

 A less degree of this change wherein a few flowers may 

 be found, as it were, detached from the ordinary capi- 

 tulum may often be observed in Com,podtce, Dipsacece, 

 &c. I have also met with specimens of Lamium album 

 in which some of the fascicles or clusters of flowers in 

 place of being placed at the same level on opposite 

 sides of the stem were placed alternately one above 

 another. 



Caspary^ mentions a flower of Aldrovanda vesiculosa, 

 which was elevated on a stalk that was adherent to the 

 stem for a certain distance, and then separated from it. 

 This flower, with the leaf to which it was axillary, 

 evidently belonged to the whorl beneath, where there 

 was a corresponding deficiency. Another flower of 

 the same plant bore on its pedicel a small leaf, which 

 was doubtless the bract raised above its ordinary 

 position. 



M. Fournier mentions an instance in Pelargonium 

 (jrandifiorum, where, owing to the lengthening of the 

 axis, the pedicels, instead of being umbellate, had 

 become racemose ; and I owe to the kindness of Dr. 

 Sankey a somewhat similar specimen, but in a less 

 perfect condition. Here there was but a single flower, 

 and that rudimentary, placed at the extremity of the 



Comtniinication to the Intemat. Bot. Congress, Paris, 1867. 

 'Bot. Zeit..' 1859. p. 117. tab. y. 



