SUPPRESSION OR ABORTION. 267 



nopodium, and the Elm (whenever its blossoms have only one set 

 of stamens, Fig. 338). 



477. But when, with the abortion of the primary circle, say of the 

 stamens, we have an augmentation of one or more additional cir- 

 cles of the same kind of organ, the law of alternation appears to be 

 violated ; the stamens that are present, or the outer circle of them, 

 standing opposite the petals instead of alternate with them. It is 

 customary to assume this explanation for all cases of the opposition 

 of the stamens to the petals, whether in the Primrose Family, in 

 Claytonia, in the Vine and Buckthorn, or in Byttneriacese, &c. : 

 but considerations which have already been adduced indicate a dif- 

 ferent explanation for many of them (459). It can no longer be 

 deemed sufficient to assume the obliteration of a normal floral cir- 

 cle, and the production of another one, when no traces of the for- 

 mer are to be detected and no clear analogy shown with some 

 strictly parallel and demonstrable instance. But we may confi- 

 dently apply this view when we find traces of the obliterated or 

 abortive organs, as in the Geranium Family, for example. The 

 pentamerous flower of Geranium (Ord. Geraniaceae) exhibits ten 

 stamens in two rows, distinguished by their different length, the 

 five of the exterior circle being shorter than the others. One set 

 of these stamens alternates with the petals, the other is opposed to 

 them ; which would appear to conform to the law of alternation. 

 But, on closer examination, we see that it is the inner circle of sta- 

 mens that alternates with the petals ; those of the outer circle 

 stand directly before them. This is a not uncommon case in di~ 

 ploslemonous flowers (viz. in those which have twice as many sta- 

 mens as there are petals or sepals). In this instance the key to 

 the explanation of the anomaly is furnished 

 by the five little bodies, called by the vague 

 and convenient name of glands, which stand 

 on the receptacle between the petals and the 

 stamens, and regularly alternate with the for- 

 mer. They accordingly occupy the exact po- 

 sition of the original stamineal circle : where- 

 fore, as situation is the safest guide in deter- 

 mining the nature of organs, we may regard them as the abortive 



FIG. 331. Diagram (cross-section) of the flower of Geranium maculatum, exhibiting the 

 relative position of parts, especially the glands alternate with the petals, and the two rows of 

 stamens within them. 



