PETALODY. 285 



Among polysepalous plants petaloid sepals have 

 been observed in Banunculus auricomus^ Rnbus ccesius, 

 Sfc. Fleischer also describes a case of this kind in 

 GartLin carui} 



It will be seen from the above that in the majority 

 of cases there is no real metamorphosis or substitution 

 of petal for calyx, but simply an alteration in colour ; 

 nevertheless, a change in form may accompany a 

 change of colour : this happens especially if there has 

 been any displacement of organs. Thus, if, in an orchi- 

 daceous plant, a sepal be displaced from any cause, or 

 a petal be twisted out of its natural position to occupy 

 the place of an absent sepal, that petal will be sepal- 

 like in form, and vice versa, 



Petalody of the stamens. A petaloid condition of the 

 stamens is one of the commonest of all malformations. 

 A large number of so-called double flowers (flores pleni)^ 

 owe their peculiar appearance to this circumstance. 



It is necessary to distinguish carefully this petaloid 

 development of the stamens from the corresponding 

 condition of the pistils, and from that kind of doubling 

 which is a result of multipHcation of the corolla, as in 

 Datura y Campanula, Primula, &c. (flores duplices, tri- 

 plices, &c.), or from that produced by true median 

 prolification (flores geminati, &c.). 



In cases of true petaloid development of the stamens 

 there are usually numerous intermediate forms between 

 that of the true petals and that of the perfect stamens ; 

 indeed, in Nymphwa, Canna, and in some other plants, 

 such a transition occurs normally. Petalody of the 

 stamens may occur either without material change in 

 the flower or it may exist in combination or in con- 

 jimction with an increased development of parts (Mul- 

 tiplication), or with a similar change in the carpels, 

 and it is either partial or complete. 



> Misbilld., Cult. Gewachs.,' p. 32. 

 ' Linn., ' Phil. Botan.,' 120. 



