ANGIOSPERMS. 



503 



different stages of development in this respect, and not only of convincing myself 

 that the funiculus arises laterally with respect to the apex of the floral axis, but also 

 that the nucleus, when first visible, stands laterally also below the apex of the funi- 

 culus. It is possible that the observation of peculiarly favourable cases will remove 

 the last remaining doubt on this point. Cramer has shown in a number of 

 other instances that all stages of the metamorphosis of ovules occur when the 

 flower is developed in a monstrous condition, leading also to the conclusion that 

 the nucleus is a lateral structure on the funiculus of the ovule. Malformations of 

 Delphinium datum, where the ovules spring from the margins of the carpels, show 

 that the carpel is transformed into a flat open pinnate leaf, the lobes of which are 

 the metamorphosed ovules. The nucleus here springs from the upper or inner 

 side of the lobe of the leaf which represents the transformed funiculus together 

 with the integument. In Melilotus, Primula chinensis, and Umbelliferse, Cramer 



l-IG. Tf'T.—Fitnlcta cordiita ; .1 horizontal section of the younc^ superior trilocular ovary, two ovules 5A'are seeu in 

 each loculus, jjrowing from the revolute margins of the carpels, ^ a fibro-vascular bundle surrounded by lig^ht- 

 coloured parenchyma ; B and C two successive states of the young ovule in longitudinal section, A'A' tissue of the 

 nucleus, ii inner, ia outer integument, e embryo-sac [A slightly, B, C very highly magnified). 



found the case to be the same^ Relying on this and other facts, and on the 

 hypothesis that the ovule is never a terminal structure of the floral axis, Cramer^ 

 adopted the view that the ovule is either a metamorphosed leaf or part of a leaf 

 (a tooth or outgrowth of the upper surface). The ovule of Primulaceae and Com- 

 positce he considered to be a whole leaf, and he supposed that closer observation 

 would show the same to be the case in other flowers also, especially in those 

 where the flower is said to possess a solitary 'reputed terminal ovule,' as Urtica 

 (and Taxus), and perhaps also the Dipsacacese and others. The nucleus would in 

 this case be a new formation on the surface of the ovular leaf, the funiculus would 

 correspond to the base of this leaf, and the integuments to its upper part, which is 

 folded once or twice in the form of a cup or hood round the nucleus. On the 

 other hand he would consider as only portions of the leaf (teeth or outgrowths of 



» Compare also H. von Mohl, Vermischte Schriften, pi. I, figs. 27-29. 



2 Cramer, Bildungsabweichungen bei einigen wichtigeren Pflanzenfamilien und die morpho- 

 logische Bedeutung des Pflanzeneies (Zurich 1869, p. 120), where the literaUire of this subject has 

 been carefully treated. 



