Trifolmm Pratcnse Quinqiie folium. 



45 



is, of course, the main stem of the whole plant. Here 

 also the number of leaflets per leaf first increases, on the 

 average, and then decreases, with many fluctuations how- 

 ever. The branches themselves exhibit a certain periodic- 

 ity since the lower ones contain a smaller quantity of 



Fig. 5. Trifolmm pratense qiiinqiicfoUum, 1900, showing 

 the periodicity of the anomaly on a branch. Beginning 

 from below the leaves have 3 — 4 — ^4 — 6 — 7 — 5 — leaflets. 



abnormal leaves than those next above them, whilst the 

 highest of all are poorer again. 



If therefore the conditions are favorable to a branch 

 in its earliest stages it will develop more 4-7-merous 



