RUDIMENTARY ORGANS IN PLANTS 149 



appear not only in the reproductive organs, but in the 

 accessory organs of the flower the calix and corolla. 

 Many of the Umbelliferae exhibit a reduced calyx. 

 The corolla persists, though in a very reduced 

 state in cleistogamous flowers (i.e. flowers which 

 never open, and which are self -fertilizing) such as 

 the Oxalis, Impatiens, Violet, etc. The corollas of 

 the winter-opening flowers of Stellaria media are 

 much reduced, and for a very obvious reason 

 the corolla exists only for the attraction of insects, 

 and there are no insects at that time of the year. 



4. Reduced organs in the vegetative apparatus 

 of the Phanerogams. 



We have seen that reduced sexual organs are 

 exhibited among the various groups of plants, and 

 we will now mention a few instances of reduced 

 organs in the vegetative apparatus of the Phan- 

 erogams. 



1. The embryo within the ripe seed of Phanerogams 

 contains a rudimentary root which develops during 

 germination. In certain Nympheacese Nelumbium 

 Eurycde and Victoria this root never properly 

 develops. 



In other aquatic plants degeneration has gone 

 further ; in the embryo of Utricularia, for instance, 

 the root has entirely disappeared. 1 



1 For further details relating to the roots of the Nympheacese and 

 the Utricularia see Goebel in Pflanzeribiologische Sohilderungen, 

 vol. ii., Marburg, Elwert, 1891-1893. 



