Taxonomic Anomalies 661 



be observed either as specific marks, or in the 

 way of anomalies. Ledum, Monotropa and Py- 

 rola, or the Labrador tea, the Indian pipe and 

 wintergreen are instances of reversionary 

 gamepetalism with free petals. In heaths 

 (Erica Tetralix) and in rhododendrons the 

 same deviation is observed to occur from time 

 to time as an anomaly, and even the common 

 Rhodondendron ponticum of our gardens has 

 a variety in which the corolla is more or less 

 split. Sometimes it exhibits five free petals, 

 while at other times only one or two are entirely 

 free, the remaining four being incompletely 

 loosened. 



Such cases of atavism make it probable that 

 the coherence of the petals has originally arisen 

 by the same method, but by action in the op- 

 posite direction. The direct proof of this con- 

 clusion is afforded by a curious observation, 

 made by Vilmorin upon the bright and large- 

 flowered garden-poppy, Papaver bracteatum. 

 Like all poppies it has four petals, which are 

 free from one another. In the fields of Messrs. 

 Vilmorin, where it is largely cultivated for its 

 seeds, individuals occur from time to time which 

 are anomalous in this respect. They exhibit a 

 tendency to produce connate petals. Their 

 flowers become monopetalous, and the whole 

 strain is designated by the name of Papaver 



