The Significance of the Atavists. 



523 



The curve representing these 35 plants would have 

 a distinct peak representing the atavists and another cor- 

 responding to the fasciated individuals of the average 

 breadth of 3 centimeters.-^ 



In Geranium inolle fasciatnm the variation of this 

 character proved, after a statistical examination of the 

 material to l)e represented by a many-peaked curve. This 



t 



Fig. 120. Geranium mollc fasciatnm. a, fruit containing 

 6 single fruits ; b, split into one group of 4 and one of 

 5 ; c, split into three groups containing 5 — 7 and 5 single 

 fruits ; d, one group has 16 and the other 5 divisions of 

 fruil and stigmas; c, fruit with ^2> divisions and stigmas 

 (1895). 



race- is remarkable from the fact that tlie stems have, 

 as is v^ell known, a sympodial structure (Fig. 119), 

 Therefore the anomaly affects, as a rule, one member of 

 the sympodium only ; but sometimes it extends to two 

 or more adjacent ones. These are again succeeded bv 

 atavistic members. Each part terminates n^ a flower. 



^ Revue gcncralc dc hotaniqiic, 1899, Vol. XT, p. 143. 

 ^ Bntanisch Jaarh. Gent, 1894. p. 81: and 1897. p. 67. 



