92 



THE STRUCTURE OF FLOWERS. 



gamopetaloiis epigynous orders. Moreover, the ovule is not 

 strictly basilar and central, bat is really situated laterally. 

 Anatomical investigations, as we sball see presently, entirely 

 confirm this view. 



Teratological Investigations. — Teratological evidence of 

 the axial, or in some cases, perhaps, petlolar nature of the 

 so-called recepfcacular tube is tolerably abundant. Thus, in 

 monstrous forms of flowers normally possessing inferior 

 ovaries, the pistil is sometimes completely arrested, when the 

 latter is replaced by a long pedicel which is usually wanting 

 or else is very short, as in Honeysuckle, Epilohium, Orchis, 

 etc. (Fig. 23).* Pears not unfrequently furnish similar 

 instances, as in the case of the so-called "Bishop's 

 Thumb Pear, which sometimes occurs of an 

 elongated form, destitute of core and seeds. 

 These fruits, which are merely swellings of the 

 flower-stalk, are produced from the second crop 

 of blossoms, which have not energy enough to 

 produce carpels (core) with ovules or ripe 

 seeds." t There is little doubt that the recepta- 

 cular tube is, in these cases, converted into the 

 rodlike structures in consequence of the total 

 absence of the carpels from within it. In other 

 words, it is axial. 



There are other indications of the tube being axial in its 

 nature rather than foliar ; thus, it frequently becomes " pro- 

 liferous ; " that is to say, flow^ers, or even branches, may grow 

 out of it, as is often the case with Roses, Prickly Pear, 

 JJmhellifercG, etc. J Again, certain kinds of Pears, Medlars, 



Fig. 23.— Orchis 

 Mario, malformed. 



* a is the interior of the flower, consisting of a cap-like depression 

 Avith two anthers. 



t Gardener's Chronicle, Oct. 9, 1886, p. 464. 

 + Teratology, p. 100, seq. 



