PETALODY. 297 



the number of these organs and similar changes affect- 

 ing the pistils, and is applied to several distinct condi- 

 tions. If in any given flower all the stamens and all 

 the pistils become wholly petaloid, no pollen is formed, 

 and of course no seeds can be produced, but this very 

 rarely happens, as usually some pollen is produced, 

 and some ovules capable of being fertihsed are deve- 

 loped. 



In double flowers of Primula sinensis it frequently 

 happens that the capsule is either partially leafy or 

 partly petal-like ; in either case the fruit is open at the 

 extremity, and often destitute of the style and stigma. 

 It is, however, doubtful if the ovules can be fertiLised 

 in these flowers. 



The following Hst comprises the names of those 

 genera in which this change has been most frequently 

 observed, independently of corresponding alterations 

 in the stamens, but it is more usual for both sets of 

 organs to be similarly affected. 



Petalody of the ovules. ^The principal changes which 

 occur in the ovule have already been alluded to at pp. 

 262 272 ; it may here be stated, however, that the 

 ovules are occasionally represented by smaU stalked 

 petal-like structures. This happens with especial fre- 

 quency among Cruciferce} 



Petalody of the accessory oi^^s. A petaloid condition of 

 the disc, of the scales, or other excrescences from 

 the axis or from the lateral portions of the flower, is of 

 frequent occurrence, though" it is but rarely that the 

 change is of any great importance in a morphological 



* See Baillon, ' Adansonia,' iii, p. 351, tab. 12, Sinapis. 



