178 ALTERATION OF POSITION. 



Formation of buds on fruits. This is a point of some 

 momeut \vith reference to the share which the axis 

 takes in the production of "inferior" fruits. Avery 

 fi'equent malformation in pears is one wherein a 

 second pear proceeds from the centre of the first, and 

 even a thii'd from the centre of the second.^ Pears 

 are occasionally also observed arising either from the 

 axils of the sepals of the primary pear or from the axil 

 of leaves originating on the outer surface of the fruits 

 using the term fruit in its popular sense. These cases 

 afford strong confirmation of the view that the outer 

 portion of the so-called fruit in these plants is rather 

 to be considered as an expansion and hollowing-out of 

 the flower-stalk, than as formed from the calyx-tube. 

 It is noteworthy that the true carpels and seeds are 

 frequently entkely absent in these cases.^ Further 

 reference to these fruits will be made under the head 

 of Hypertrophy. 



M. Trecul has described and figured an instance in 

 a species of Prismatocarpus, in which a second flower 

 proceeded from the axil of a bract attached to the 

 side of the fruit of the first flower.'^ A similar growth 

 was observed in the fruit of Fhiladeljjhus speciosus by 

 M. A. Gris, who observed that the so-called calyx-tube 

 was provided with tw6 small bracts,. from the axil of 

 one of which proceeded a small flower-bud.* 



The fruits of Opuntla Sahniana, 0. fragilisy^ 0. mona- 

 cantha, and of some species of Echinocactus, have been 

 observed to form small fi'uit-like branches around their 

 summits. M. Napoleon Doumet describes the fruit as 

 ripening as usual, but as being destitute of seeds in the 

 interior ; after a little while the fruit begins to wither, 



' Moquin-Tandon, p. 384 ; also Lindl., ' Elements of Botany,' p. 65, 

 fig. 130 ; " Theory of Horticulture," p. 86. ' Gard. Chron.,' 1861, p. 723 ; 

 Irmish, ' Flora,' 1858, p. 38, &c. 



' Caspary, ' Bull. Soc. Bot. Fi-.,' vol. vi, 1859, p. 235; also Payer, ibid., 

 vol. i, 1854, p. 283. 



Trecul, ' Ann. Sc. Nat.,' 2nd ser., vol. xx, p. 339. 



* ' Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr.,' vol. vii, 1858, p. 331. 



' 'Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr.,' vol. i, p. 306, vol. v, p. 115. ' lUustr. Hortic.,' 

 xii, 1865, Mibc. 79. ' Rev. Horticole,' 1860, p. 204, et 1867, p. 43. 



