SYNCARPY. 49 
Leg.,’ pl. 2, fig. 6; pl. 3, fig. 2.) At times these 
carpels become fused together, and it becomes difficult, 
when the traces of the flower have disappeared, to 
ascertain whether these carpels were formed in one 
flower, or whether they were the result of the fusion of 
several blossoms. I have seen an instance of this kind 
in a plum in which there were two carpels in the same 
flower, the one being partially fused to the other. The 
nature of such cases may usually be determined by an 
inspection of the peduncle which shows no traces of 
fusion. (See chapter on Multiplication.) 
When, however, the fruits are sessile, and they 
become grafted together, the kind of syncarpy is 
difficult to distinguish. It may, nevertheless, be said as 
a general rule that the union brought about by the 
approximation of two fruits, after the fall of the floral 
whorls, is never so complete or so intimate as that 
determined by synanthy; and also that in those cases 
where there are supernumerary carpels in the flower, 
and those carpels become united together, they are 
rarely so completely fused that their individuality is 
lost. 
An analogous phenomenon takes place not uncom- 
monly in mosses, the spore capsules of which become 
united together in various ways and degrees. Schimper" 
cites the followmg species as subject to this anomaly :— 
Buxbaumia indusiata, Leskea sericea, Hypnum lutescens, 
Anomodon alternatus, Clinacium dendroides, Bryum cespi- 
tittum, Brachythecium plumosum, Mniwin  serratum, 
Splachnum vasculosum. It has also been observed in 
Trichostomum rigidulum and Hypnum triquetrum. 
In addition to the authorities already mentioned, the reader may 
consult Moquin-Tandon, ‘ El. Ter. Veg.,’ p. 270. Turpin, ‘Mém. greffe, 
Ann. Sc. Nat.,’ ser. 1, t. xxiv, p. 334. De Candolle, ‘ Organ. Veget.,’ t. 1. 
Duhamel, ‘Phys. des Arbres,’ t. i, p. 304, tab. xiii, xiv. Weber, 
‘Verhandl. Nat. Hist. Vereims f. d. Preuss. Rheiml. u. Westphal.,’ 
1860, p. 332, tab. vi et vii. 
! ‘Bull. Soc. Bot. Franc.,’ 8, pp. 73 and 351, tab. 11; and Rése, * Bot. 
Zeit.,’ x, p. 410. 
4. 
