GYN(ECIUM. 363 



M. Clos^ mentions a flower of rue {Ruta) wherein 

 there were two stamens joined together below and 

 placed in front of a petal, as in Peganum. 



Buchenau^ mentions a flower of Lotus uliginosus in 

 which there were eleven stamens,' namely, two free 

 and nine monadelphous ; and Hildebrand describes an 

 analogous increase in a flower of Sarotliamnus scoparkis 

 in which, in conjunction with a seven-toothed calyx, 

 there were two carinas and fourteen stamens. It 

 would seem probable in this case that there was a 

 coalescence of two flowers at an early date and conse- 

 quent suppression of some of the parts of the flower. 

 Whether this was the case or not in this particular 

 illustration, it is nevertheless certain that many of the 

 recorded instances of increased number in the organs 

 of a flower are really the results of a fusion of two or 

 more flowers, though frequently in the adult state but 

 few traces of the coalescence are to be seen. 



Polyphylly of the gynoBcium. Moquin^ remarks that, as 

 the pistils are, generally speaking, more or less subject 

 to pressure, owing to their central position, and it may 

 be added owing to their later development, than the 

 other parts of the flower, they are more subject to 

 suppression than to multiplication ; nevertheless, aug- 

 mentation in the number of carpels does occasionally 

 take place, especially when the other, parts of the 

 flower are also augmented in number. Sometimes 

 this increase in the number of carpels is due to pure 

 multiplication, without any other change. At other 

 times the increase is due to a substitution of stamens 

 or other organs for carpels (see Substitutions). In 

 other cases the augmentation seems to be due to the 

 development of parts usually suppressed ; for instance, 

 in Antiii'ldnum^ where there are usually only two carpels 



> ' M^m. Acad. Toulous.,' vi, 1862, ex ' BuU. Soc. Bot. Fr.,' " Rev. 

 Bibl.," vol. ix, 1862, p. 127. 

 Flora,' 1857, p. 289. 

 L..C., p. 354. 



