86 ALTERATION OF POSITION. 
characters used to distinguish genera ; thus one of the 
distinctions between rye-grass (Lolivm) and wheat 
(Triticum) resides in the relative position of the spike- 
lets and the main stem; in Triticum the spikelets are 
placed with their backs against the rachis, in Lolium 
with one edge against it; but in a specimen of rye- 
erass that has come under my own observation, the 
arrangement was that of Triticwm. 
M. Kirschleger relates having found a specimen of 
Leucanthemwm pratense, m which the hgulate female 
flowers were growing singly in the axils of the upper 
leaves of the stem.’ The ordinary capitulum would 
here seem to have been replaced by a spike or a raceme. 
A less degree of this change wherein a few flowers may 
be found, as it were, detached from the ordinary capi- 
tulum may often be observed in Composite, Dipsacee, 
&c. Ihave also met with specimens of Lamium albwin 
in which some of the fascicles or clusters of flowers in 
place of being placed at the same level on opposite 
sides of the stem were placed alternately one above 
another. 
Caspary’ mentions a flower of Aldrovanda vesiculosa, 
which was elevated on a stalk that was adherent to the 
stem for a certain distance, and then separated from it. 
This flower, with the leaf to which it was axillary, 
evidently belonged to the whorl beneath, where there 
was a corre esponding deficiency. Another flower of 
the same plant bore on its pedicel a small leaf, which 
was doubtless the bract raised above its ordinary 
position. 
M. Fournier mentions an instance in Pelargoniwm 
grandiflorum, where, owing to the lengthening of the 
axis, the pedicels, instead of being umbellate, had 
become racemose; and I owe to the kindness - Dr. 
Sankey a somewhat similar specimen, but in a less 
perfect condition. Here there was but a single flower, 
and that rudimentary, placed at the extremity of the 
1 Communication to the Internat. Bot. Congress, Paris, 1867. 
2 «Bot. Zeit.,’ 1859, p. 117, tab. v., 
