258 THE BIOCOSMOS PARTICULARIZED. 



the evolution of the stage of flower-associa- 

 tion. 



Without going into details we may offer 

 here a tentative arrangement. (1) The evo- 

 lution from spiral to cyclic flowering. The 

 simplest flowers are ranked externally about 

 an elongated axis in a spiral (like leaves). 

 This linear order unfolds into the round. (2) 

 The evolution of the cyclic single flotver to the 

 associated floiuer. This has many gradations 

 which are represented in many families. (3) 

 The evolution of the associated flower (Com- 

 posite) ivithin itself, which also shows numer- 

 ous stages, or degrees of associative (or fed- 

 erative) excellence up to the supreme flower; 

 which flower, however, is a problem. 



We may here interject a little personal 

 theory as to the reason why the Composite 

 have not been adequately treated by the Euro- 

 pean botanists who have of course taught the 

 American. It is that the federative con- 

 sciousness has been wanting. For the scien- 

 tific mind participates in the social and insti- 

 tunal order of its nation and age, and is in- 

 deed trained by the same in its deepest cre- 

 ative character. Our feeling is, as we look out 

 upon the flower-world with its profound sug- 

 gestiveness, that the Composite flower is the 

 true floral representative of the Federal 

 Union. 



