136 ALTERATION OF POSITION. 
before mentioned. Moquin, in the tenth volume of 
the ‘Bulletin of the Botanical Society of France,’ 
p- 73, says that when the case is one of prolification 
the lower fruit is larger and is formed of a fleshy 
mass ; moreover, the line of demarcation between the 
fruits is more distinct, and there are traces of the seed- 
bearing cavity in the interior, and of calycine lobes at 
the top. On the other hand, if the case be one of 
hypertrophy merely, the lowermost fruit is the 
smallest, and there is no trace of seed-bearing cavity 
nor of sepals. See also under Hypertrophy. 
Some other malformations usually referred to pro- 
lification of the fruit seem due to branching of the 
inflorescence, as in Plantago, wheat, maize; or to a 
simple extension of the axis beyond its ordinary 
limit, as in some cones of firs, &c. It is obvious that 
the true fruits in these cases are in no wise affected. 
From these considerations it would appear better 
to abandon the use of the expression prolification of 
the fruit, as unnecessary where it is really applicable, 
and as delusive in the numerous other cases where 
it is employed. © 
Median prolification of one or other kind has been 
met with in the following genera : 
Leafy. Floral. 
Ranunculacez. Clematis. 
Anemone! * Anemone! 
Ranunculus ! *Ranunculus ! 
Delphinium. 
Caltha. 
Aquilegia ! 
Crucifere. Bunias. 
*Cheiranthus ! 
Erucago. 
*Matthiola! 
Sisymbrium ! 
Brassica ! 
Nasturtium. 
Hesperis. 
Sinapis! 
Diplotaxis. 
Lunaria. 
Erysimum, 
