34«) 



NATURAL HISTOItY OF PLANTS. 



cated petals,' and as many stamens superposed to the sepals. But 

 often, too, we may find a larger number of stamens, i.e., from five 



Fin. 379. 

 Habit. 



Via. 38t. 

 Longitudinal section of fruit. 



to fifteen.- If there be the last named number, each of the stamens 

 superposed to the sepals is accomjxmied by two others, one on either 



' Their form is tlint of the pc-tals of a Hone 

 on a suiiiU HCttlo. 



» I'AYFU {op. rit. WJo) huH Ki-cn that in A. 

 Kupiilorift the nuuihcr of KtameiiM varieH with 

 tliu vigour of the jilaiit. " (n-nerally," sajH he, 

 " wc liurdly find more than tlvo in tlowen giitlioretl 

 in Hie country, nnd tlu-n they are .... super- 

 pOM-d to tlic NcpulM, wliile in othem ]iickcd tit the 

 Museum of Natural IliHtory (of I'nriH | I have 



sometimes counted ns many us twenty. Hut in 

 nil tliexe variations one hut remains constant, 

 and this it is important to note: the stamens 

 arc always pronped in five nlternip«'ta!ous jiha- 

 langes." Further on the author shows that 

 when there are nutmrous stamens there are 

 first five in front of the sepals, then a whorl of 

 ten more plactnl lower down, ond then another 

 wliorl of tlve sui)erpo«ied t»> the Urst. 



