234 BIOLOGY. 



of development. At first it is scale-like, confluent with 

 the ovary or epigynous ovarial corolla. It is next 

 spathe-like, simply connected with the corolla or perigy- 

 nous calydne corolla. Lastly, it resembles the reticular- 

 veined leaf, being free from both the above organs, or 

 hypogynous -pedunculate corolla. 



c. Corolla. 



1198. From the character of the corolla or crown as 

 being a ranmlar leaf all its properties admit of being 

 deduced. It is the upper leaf-bud, inasmuch as the 

 ramular leaves stand above those of the stalk. It is, on 

 this account too, the internal, inasmuch as the lower leaves 

 admit within them the upper. 



1199. The corolla is homologous with the whole mass 

 of the petiolated or ramular leaves. Thus their arrange- 

 ment, form, and number taken together are not worth 

 more than the characters of the corolla, nor are they worth 

 less, because they are relations of deeper organs. 



1200. The corolla stands also in a whorl, because it is 

 the totality of leaves. 



1201 . The laws of the leaf-formation are also the laws of 

 the corolla-formation. The corolla will therefore repre- 

 sent at one time a greater, at another a less, ramified 

 leaf-system. 



1202. The corolla is the last verticil in the series of 

 leaf- whorls ; for it represents the last leaf-form, and must 

 fade, because the tissues have completely separated from 

 each other, namely, the tracheae as stamina, from the cells 

 that constitute corolla leaflets or petals. No part can 

 carry on life by or for itself. 



1203. The parts of the corolla range in an alternating 

 manner with those of the calyx, because they are the 

 next supra-consecutive bud. 



1204. In accordance with the three stages of the leaf- 

 formation the corolla is also resolvable into three forms. 

 The scale- or root-leaf returns in the several squamiform 

 micropetals of what have been called the Apetalous plants; 

 it corresponds to the involucrum squamoid corolla. 



