GENERAL SUMMARY. 817 



abortive either wholly or in part, and, consequently, of 

 presenting simple rudiments or leaving empty spaces. 



44th. All the irregularities observed in the symmetry 

 of verticillate organs, and especially in that of flowers 

 and fruits, appear to result from one of the causes 

 mentioned in the four preceding paragraphs, or from the 

 combination of several of them. 



45th. In particular, the unity or solitariness of the 

 verticillate organs can only exist by the abortion of 

 those which ought to complete the verticil or spire, or 

 by the union of several. 



46th. The fruit is formed by the Carpels, which may 

 be free, or cohere together, or adhere to neighbouring 

 parts (Book iii. Ch. 4). 



47th. As the two margins of each carpellary leaf can 

 bear ovules, the solitariness of the seed in a carpel, free 

 or united to others, can only result from an abortion 

 (Book iii. Ch. 3). 



48th. The embryo must be considered as the de- 

 velopment, by fecundation, of a germ situated at the 

 extremity of one of the lateral fibres of the carpellarv 

 leaf (Book iii. Ch. 4). 



49th. Cryptogamous plants present, in their organi- 

 zation, only partial indications of symmetry, which, in 

 the present state of the science, are not sufficient to 

 enable us to recognise the laws. We cannot affirm 

 particularly whether there is fecundation in all Crypto- 

 gamous plants, or whether several are not reproduced 

 by unfecundated germs. 



