HETEROTAXY. 179 
and then a circle of small buds, like those of the stem, 
may be seen at the top of the fruit, each bud springing 
from the axil of a little tuft of wool and spines found 
on the fruit. These little buds elongate into long 
shoots, produce flowers the following year, which 
flowers exhibit the same peculiarity. Gasparini and 
Tenore are said to have recorded the same fact as long 
since as 1832. The specimen from which the figure (fig. 
93) was taken produced its fruits inthe Royal Gardens 
at Kew, and is now preserved in the museum of that 
establishment. ‘The adventitious growth in these cases 


Fie. 95.—Small buds projecting from the edges of the fruit in Opuntia. 
appears to arise from the tufts of spies, which, it has 
been suggested, are the homologues of the sepals. 
There can, however, be little doubt that the outer and 
lower portion of the fruit of Opuntia and its allies is a 
dilatation of the flower-stalk. This is borne out by 
the fruits of Pereskia, which bear leaves on their sur- 
face arranged spirally ; indeed, the fruits of Pereskia 
Bleo are mentioned as producing buds from their 
