408 MEIOTAXY. 



Meiotaxy of the parts of the flower in general. In tbe pre- 

 ceding sections suppression has been considered as it 

 affected individual members of a whorl or separate 

 whorls. It rarely happens, however, that the suppres- 

 sion is limited in this way. More generally several of 

 the parts of the flower are simultaneously affected in 

 the same manner. 



A few illustrations are all that is necessary to give 

 as to this point. 



One of the most familiar instances is that of the 

 cauhflower or broccoli, where the common flower-stalk 

 is inordinately thickened and fleshy, while the corolla 

 and inner parts of the flower' are usually entirely 

 suppressed ; the four sepals can, however, generally be 

 detected. 



Maximowicz describes a ' Stellaria {Kraschenikovia) 

 in which the upper flowers are male only, while the 

 lower ones, which ultimately become buried in the 

 soil, have neither petals, stamens, nor styles, but the 

 walls of the capsule are fleshy, and enclose numerous 

 seeds. ^ 



Kirschleger^ mentions a variety of Lonicera Capri- 

 foUunif which was not only destitute of petals but of 

 stamens also. 



In some species of Muscari and BellevaUa the upper- 

 most flowers of the raceme show more or less complete 

 suppression of almost all the part of which the flower 

 normally consists. In those cases where an imperfect 

 perianth exists, but in which the stamens and pistils 

 are entirely suppressed, Morren applies the term 

 Cenanthy, KtvoQ, empty. 



Complete suppression of the flower. it is not necessary 

 in this place to allude to that deficient production of 

 flowers characteristic of what is termed by gardeners 

 a " sky bloomer." In such plants often the requisite 

 conditions are not complied with, and the skill of the 



' ' Primit. Flof. Amurens.' i>. 57. 

 ' 'Flora.'1848. p. 484. 



