12 M. Morren on the Bpur-shaped Nectaries 



cells (fig. 19, «) ; traces or waves which incline us to suppose 

 that there is a lateral extension of these cells to produce the 

 petaloid lamina (fig. 19, c). It is evident that this is the 

 anther flattening and dilating itself in order to become the 

 petaloid lamina ; and hardly does a bud attain the length of 

 five millimeters before the laminge are hollowed into tubes ; 

 and the spur-shaped nectaries, already making a projection 

 outwards between the sepals of the calyx, are all formed (figs. 

 20 and 21). 



This examination proves that, in the genesis of the spur- 

 shaped nectaries, Nature first forms a leaf, then a stamen, and 

 that she converts the anther of this into a petal, at first fiat 

 and then hood-shaped. 



The nectary is then always a derivation from the stamen 

 — a descending metamorphosis of the stamen. 



This is precisely one of the facts which we have stated 

 above. If it be to the detriment of the anthers that these 

 singular spurs are produced in the Columbine, it was also a 

 matter of interest for us to inquire if the laminae noticed by 

 DeCandolle between the carpels and the stamens are in reality 

 abortive stamens. It is known that this author was in doubt 

 concerning the nature of these organs. " One might say," he 

 writes, in his ' Ox'ganography *,' " that they are either abor- 

 tive stamens or interior petals." The latter opinion would be 

 contrary to all the laws of Morphology previously established, 

 for the corolline apparatus is exterior to the andrcEceum. 

 However, to ascei'tain the true nature of these lamellae, we have 

 had recourse to an organogenic examination. 



In a bud three millimeters long, we found these lamellae 

 composed (fig. 18) of a distinct base and summit. The sum- 

 mit is formed of two lateral swellings (a b, fig. 18), between 

 which is a projecting lamella (c, fig. 18). The base is lamelloid 

 and winged, with a nervure in the middle [d, fig. 18). There 

 is here evidently a staminal structure : the swellings are the 

 loculi of the anther, the projecting lamella the connective, and 

 the lamelloid base the filament. 



Now, in a well-developed flower, nothing remains of this 

 summit, which becomes a true continuation of the lamella of 

 the base. Thus the filament suffers hypertrophy, especially 

 in breadth, and the anther, on the contrary, suffers atrophy. 

 The base carries away the summit ; the one pole as it dilates 

 diminishes the other. 



The lamella of the Columbine are then really stamens mo- 

 dified by the annihilation of the pollen-bearing ajjparatus, and 

 by the super-development of the filament. 

 * Vol. i. p.4S4. 



