SYNANTHY. 39 
ten stamens within a single cup, two styles, and a five- 
celled ovary. Here, then, it would appear that two 
segments of the perianth, two stamens, and one carpel 
were suppressed. In a Polyanthus there were nine 
sepals, nine petals, nine stamens, and a double ovary. 
As an illustration of a more complicated nature 
reference may be made to three flowers of Aconitum 
Napellus, figured by A. de Chamisso, ‘ Linnea,’ vol. vii, 
1832, p. 205, tab. vii, figs. 1, 2. In this specimen the 
two outer blossoms had each four sepals present, namely, 
the upper hooded one, one of the lateral sepals, and 
both of the inferior ones; the central flower had 
only the upper sepal and one other, probably one of 
the lower sepals; thus there were but ten sepals 
instead of fifteen. The nectary-like petals, the stamens, 
and pistils were all present in the lateral flowers, but 
were completely suppressed in the middle one. A 

Fig. 15.—Union of three flowers Fic. 16.—Shows the abortion of 
of Calanthe vestita. the central spur in synanthic . 
flowers of Calanthe vestita. 
less degree of suppression was exemplified in a triple 
flower of Calanthe vestita sent me by Dr. Moore, of 
Glasnevin, in which all the parts usually existing in 
