1857.] BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. 165 



much influenced by it iu attempting to determine species, except 

 when combined with other strong distinguishing features, such 

 as are distinctly observable in H. Gibsoni, and which, according 

 to the best of my ability, were clearly defined in my Monograph. 



Yorh, May, 1857. 



BOTANICAL NOTES, NOTICES, AND QUERIES. 

 On the Gkowth of the Opheyde^. 



The fact of the appearance of the Bee Orchis in such abundance in a 

 field recently reclaimed fi-om a subjection of forty years to the plough 

 (see ' Ph\'tologist,' vol. ii. p. 114), may in some degree be explained by 

 the peculiar mode of growth of the OphrydecB, a subject which has lately 

 been investigated by M. Fabre, who gives an account of his observations 

 in the ' Annales des Sciences Naturelles,' ser. 4, vol. v. p. 163. It is 

 there shown that the floweiing-shoots are only formed after an indefinite 

 period, during which the growth or extension of the \)\<mi is efi"ected by 

 the formation of terminal tubers or buds, and its midtiplication by the 

 production of axillary tubers. "After a liitherto indeterminate number 

 of such annual evolutions, the axis, the descendant of that produced by 

 the germination of the seed, is terminated by a leafy shoot, destitute of 

 tuber and of flowers. The axillary tubers are then endowed with the 

 power of reproducing and multiplying the plant and at length of pro- 

 ducing the floral form, after several generations of buds." Thus is ef- 

 fected a most curious instance of the "alternation of generations," and 

 one which certainly contributes to the explanation of the fact noticed by 

 Mr. Oxenden. Maxwell T. Masters. 



Cakdamine pratensis. 



" I found (May 28th, 1845) in a moory meadow by the Medina, below 

 Eookley, a soUtary specimen of C. jjratenm, affording a singidar instance 

 of abnormal development. On the lower part of the corymb were several 

 seed-vessels on pedicels changed from then usual Hnear to an ovate-eUip- 

 tical figm'e, so as to resemble the short fruit of plants belongmg to the 

 siUculose section of this Order. These, on being opened, were found to 

 contain petals of the usual colour, which in the pods above had burst 

 from their confinement, and appeared as semidouble flowers, the valves of 

 the pod answering to the true caljTi. At the summit of the stem the 

 flowers had the usual appearance, except that the stamens were changed 

 into petals ; and on opening the ovariiun of the highest blossom, no ovules 

 were discoverable amongst the mass of petaloid laminpe with which the 

 carity was flUed. The lowermost pedicellate pods had doubtless been at • 

 first suiTounded by the regular floral envelopes, but from some cause had 

 not emitted them at the sutures Hke the rest. Erom theb verticiUate 

 aiTangeraent it is evident that these petaloid expansions were not trans- 

 formed seeds, but simply a development of the common axis within the 

 ovary into an abortive whorl of floral organs, besides which there were 



