142 ALTERATION OF POSITION. 
in which there was an adventitious formation of leafy 
shoots in the axil of the outer calyx. In some flowers, 
such as Convolvulus, Anemone, &c., the exact nature of 
the sub-floral leaves is uncertain, 7.e. it is open to 
doubt whether the organs in question are bracts or 
leaves pertaining to the inflorescence, or whether they 
are really parts of the flower. When leafy shoots are 
formed in the axils of such organs, the adventitious 
growth may be referred to extra-floral prolification, 
prolification of the inflorescence that is, or to axillary 
prolification, according to the view taken of the real 
nature of the sub-floral leaves. So far as the mere 
occurrence of prolification is concerned, it is not very 
material which view be adopted. The same remark 
apples to cases where leaf-buds occur on the outer 
surface of inferior ovaries, as in fosacew, Pomacee, 
Philadelphus, or Tetragonia expansa, as elsewhere men- 
tioned. 
It would seem more consistent with the general 
arrangements of parts, that the adventitious buds 
should be formed more frequently outside than within 
the flower proper. 
Knight’ figures and describes the occurrence of 
small tubers or fleshy leaf-buds in the axils of the sepals 
of a potato, a curious illustration of the real morpho- 
logical nature of the tuber. 
Axillary floral prolification of the flower— As already stated, 
this is of more common occurrence than the formation 
of a leaf-bud in a similar situation. Any of the parts 
of the flower may thus subtend a flower-bud, though 
probably the new buds more frequently originate m the 
axils of the sepals than in the other “whorls. In 
Orucifere the change in question is, relatively speaking, 
very common. In cauliflowers and broccoli I have 
frequently met with stalked flowers proceeding from 
the axils of the sepals, so also in some. fuchsias 
I have seen a ring of stalked flower-buds alternating 
1 * Proc. Hort. Soc.,’ vol. 1, p. 39, fig. 2 
