320 



THE PHENOMENON OF 



It need scarcely be remarked, that these mixed flowers 

 appearing on Cytisus Adami, are fully analogous to the 

 previously examined examples of mixed flowers (and 

 fruits) ; the only distinction is that there it was partial 

 sporting of one variety into the other, here a similar 

 reversion of the hybrid form into the mother-species. 



We have devoted our attention to this entire series of 

 strange cases, in which the ordinary law of the invaria- 

 bility of the specific and individual character within the 

 vegetable stock appears to be suspended, because they 

 serve us as a proof of the intimate connection of the 

 course of development of the individual with the history 

 of the species. As the aberrations in the course of the 

 individual metamorphosis are especially fitted to afford us 

 an insight into its law, since they reveal the internal 

 connection and the essential similarity of its foundation, 

 through unusual transitions, through anticipatory* or 

 retrogressivet interweaving, or finally by complete return 



* Compare the frequent cases of a petaloid uppermost euphyllary leaves 

 in Tulips, Caltha, Trollius, the petaloid calyx of the double Primroses, of 

 Rubm caesius with petaloid inner sepals, (Act. Nat. Cur.,' xv, i, t. 31, f. 2,) 

 of Sempervivum tectorum with stamens of the inner circle passing into 

 carpels, &c. 



f Rosa, Ranunculus, Adonis, with the outermost sepal passing into euphyl- 

 lary formation ; similarly Rosa and Linum with sepaloid first petal ; the half 

 double flowers with partial conversion of the stamens into petals, &c. 



