136 ALTERATION OF POSITION. 



before mentioned. Moquin, in the tenth volume of 

 the ' Bulletin of the Botanical Society of France,* 

 p. 73, says that when the case is one of prolification 

 the lower fruit is larger and is formed of a fleshy 

 mass ; moreover, the line of demarcation between the 

 fi-uits is more distinct, and there are traces of the seed- 

 bearing cavity in the interior, and of calycine lobes at 

 the top. On the other hand, if the case be one of 

 hypertrophy merely, the lowermost fruit is the 

 smallest, and there is no trace of seed-bearing cavity 

 nor of sepals. See also under Hypertrophy. 



Some other malformations usually referred to pro- 

 lification of the fruit seem due to branching of the 

 inflorescence, as in PlantagOf wheat, maize; or to a 

 simple extension of the axis, beyond its ordinary 

 limit, as in some cones of firs, &c. It is obvious that 

 the true fruits in these cases are in no wise afiected. 



From these considerations it would appear better 

 to abandon the use of the expression prolification of 

 the fruit, as unnecessary where it is really applicable, 

 and as delusive in the numerous other cases where 

 it is employed. 



Median prolification of one or other kind has been 

 met with in the following genera : 



Leafy. Floral. 



Ranimculace89. Clematis. 



Anemone ! *Anemone ! 



Ranxin cuius I *Ranunculu8 ! 



Delphinium. 



Caltha. 



Aquilegia ! 

 Crucifewo. Bunias. 



Cbeiranthus ! 



Erucago. 



Matthiola ! 



Sisymbrium ! 



Brassica ! 



Nasturtium. 



Hesperis. 



Sinapis I 



Diplotaxis. 



Lunaria. 



Erysimum. 



