ABORTION. 455 



Atrophy is partial and special in its operation, nanism 

 is general. 



Under ordinary circumstances atrophy is exemplified 

 by the presence of rudimentary or imperfect organs, as, 

 for instance, in Pentstemonf Scrophularia, &c., where 

 one stamen is atrophied. 



For convenience sake atrophy may be divided into 

 abortion and degeneration, the first including cases 

 where, from arrest of development occurring at an 

 early stage, organs are present ; but in a much smaller 

 and more rudimentary condition than usual, their form 

 and general appearance, except so far as regards their 

 dimensions, not being materially altered. On the other 

 hand, in cases of degeneration, development is not 

 entirely checked, but rather perverted, so that not only 

 the dimensions are lessened, but the form is altered. 



CHAPTER I. 



ABORTION. 



The sense in which this term is here understood has 

 been explained in the preceding paragraph. It is only 

 necessary to say further, that cases of abortion are to 

 be distinguished from those of suppression, on the one 

 hand, and those of degeneration on the other. In 

 suppression there is from the first an absolute deficiency 

 of a particular organ. In degeneration the part is 

 present, but in a diminished and perverted condition. 

 In abortion it exists, but in a stunted and dwarfed, 

 but not otherwise permuted state. 



Abortion of axile organs. When the main stem is ar- 

 rested in its growth, the habit and general appearance 

 of the plant are materially altered, as in the so-called 

 stemless plants, plantw acaules. In these the inter- 



