FLORAL ORGANS. 431 



bined with liypertropliy of the sepals and pistils ; in- 

 deed, the alteration is not uncommon among Crucifers. 

 Pyrethrum inodorum is very subject to hypertrophy. 

 The styles of its radial florets become elongated with- 

 out any other alteration ; at the same time the small 

 corollas become green, and show a tendency to assume 

 a foliaceous condition. Sometimes the hypertrophy 

 aflects also the styles of the central florets, and these 

 also become enlarged to double or treble their usual 

 dimensions. 



Linne has remarked that the ovary of Tragoporjoii 

 sometimes assumes very large dimensions, as also does 

 the pappus. He mentions a double-flowered variety, 

 the ovaries of which become ten or twelve times larger 

 than ordinary. M. Clos^ records an instance in Rumex 

 scutatus wherein the pistil was hyper trophied or club- 

 shaped, and open at the top, or in other cases funnel- 

 shaped, three-lobed at the summit, each lobe terminated 

 by a style. One of the most frequent causes tending 

 to the hypertrophy of the pistil is attributable to the 

 puncture of insects ; thus, when the ovary of Juncus 

 articulatus is thus punctured, it acquires a size two or 

 three times larger than ordinary, becoming at the 

 same time sterile." 



Occasionally the enlargement may be due to a fusion 

 or incorporation of other elements ; thus, M. Lemaire 

 describes an instance in which the style of Slnningia 

 purpurea was much larger than ordinary, tubular, 

 bearing three small lobes, and altogether bearing much 

 resemblance to the column or "gynosteme" of Orchids. 

 This appearance was due to the cohesion and intimate 

 union of the styles with three abortive stamens.' 



Enlargement of the fruit. Most cultivated fruits are in 

 a state of true hypertrophy. Girod de Chantrans, after 

 many trials, succeeded in producing a peculiar variety 



' ' M^m. Acad. Sc. Toiilouse,' 5 ser., vol, iii. 



' ' Re. nosol. Veget.,' pp. 342. 



a ' lUustr. Hortic.,' 1868, Misc., p. 62. 



