166 ALTERATION OF POSITION. 
Peru, in which the capitula, instead of consisting of 
florets, as usual, contained tufts of lmear ciliolated 
bracts within the involucre, without a trace of flowers. 
In the eleventh volume of the Linnea,’ 1837, p. 301, 
Von Cesati figures and describes an analogous case in 
Carduus crispus. The same author’ records a similar 
instance in the umbel of Seseli coloratwm, where the 
place of the flowers was occupied by stalked tufts of 
leaves. In the ‘Gardeners’ Chronicle,’ October 6th, 
1860, p. 894, is mentioned an instance where the blos- 
soms of the pea were entirely absent, and their place 
supplied by accumulations of small, ovate, green scales, 
thus presenting an appearance similar to that brought 
about by the inordinate multiplication of the sepals in 
the “‘ wheat-ear carnation,’ and in the Sweet William, 
and not unlike the condition met with in Bryophyllum 
proliferum. In Digitalis purpurea a similar anomaly 
is sometimes met with. 
In the apple I have observed leafy shoots bearmg 
terminal tufts of leaves where the flower should have 
been, so that what, under ordinary circumstances, 
would be a corymb of flowers, is here represented by 
a series of tufts of leaves. In the cultivated azaleas, 
also, leafy shoots occupying the position of the flower 
may occasionally be met with. 
In Bouchea hyderabadensis 1 have seen the inflor- 
escence more than usually branched and covered with 
little tufts of bracts, without a trace of true flowers. 
A similar condition seems not infrequent in Gentiana 
Amarella, as I have not only met with the plant myself 
in this condition, but have been favoured with specimens 
by Mr. Pamplin, Mr. Darwin, and others. In Phytewma 
spicatwm an analogous appearance has been recorded. 
Among Griffith’s collections from Affghanistan is a 
species of willow (Salix) in which the inflorescence is 
replaced by amuch branched panicle, bearing a quantity 
of minute bracts, in the axils of which nestle numerous 
small buds. In another specimen the inflorescence 
' * Linnea,’ xi, p. 301. 

