REGULAR PELORIA. 



219 



CHAPTER II. 



REGULAR PELORIA. 



When an habitually irregular flower becomes regular, 

 it does so in one of two ways ; either by the non- 

 development of the irregular portions, or by the forma- 

 tion of irregular parts in increased number, so that the 

 symmetry of the flower is rendered perfect, as in the 

 original peloria of Linnaeus, and which may be called 

 irregular peloria, while the former case may be called 

 regular peloria. This latter appearance is therefore 

 congenital, and due to an arrest of development.^ As 

 the true nature of these cases has not been in all 

 cases recognised (even Moquin places them under the 

 head of deformities they being less entitled to rank 



Fio. 116. Regular Peloria, 

 Delphinium. 



Fig. 117. Sepal, petal, Stc., of 

 regular-flowered delphinium. 



in that class than are the usual flowers), it may be well 

 to cite a few instances taken from various famihes. In 

 Delphinium ijcregrinum I have met with perfectly 

 regular flowers having five sepals and five oblong 

 stalked petals, and a similar occurrence has been noted 



' " On the existence of two forms of Peloria," by M. T. Masters. 

 ' Nat. Hist. Review,' April, 1863. 



