CHLORANTHY. 277 
the corolla being then absent. The heads of flowers in this first form 
have the aspect of little tufts of leaves. 
2. Each of the teeth of the calyx is represented by a long stalk, termi- 
nated by a single articulated leaflet, the bi-labiate form of the calyx is 
still recognisable; the two upper petals are united,,the three lower 
separate; the tube of the calyx is not deformed and seems to be formed 
of the petioles of the sepals united by their stipules. In this second 
class of cases the corolla is papilionaceous, the filaments free, the car- 
pellary leaf on a long stalk provided with stipules, its blade more or less 
like the usual carpel, with its margins disunited or more commonly united 
with the ovules in the interior, sometimes represented by a. foliaceous, 
dentate primine only. In one case the carpel was closed above, gaping 
below, where it gave origin to several leaflets, the lower ones oval, 
dentate, like ordinary leaflets, the upper ones merely lanceolate, leafy 
lobes, representing the primine reduced to afoliaceous condition. Inflor- 
escence—a head with leafy flowers on long stalks, which are longer at 
the circumference than in the centre. 
3, Calyx-teeth lance-shaped, acuminate; corolla more or less regular, 
arrested in its development and scarcely exceeding the tube of the 
calyx within which it is crumpled up; stamens but little changed; 
carpellary leaf on a short stalk, not exceeding the calyx tube, but the 
ovarian porticn very long, and provided with abortive ovules. 
These three groups will be found to include most of the forms under 
which frondescence of the clover blossoms occurs, but there are, of course, 
intermediate forms not readily to be grouped under either of the above 
heads. Such are the cases brought under the notice of the British 
Association at Birmingham in 1849 by Mr. R. Austen, in some of which 
the petals and stamens even were represented by leaves. 
Although, on the whole, chloranthy is most frequent 
in the families already alluded to, yet it is by no means 
confined to them, as the examples now to be given 
amply show. Specimens of Nymphwa Lotus have been 
seen in which all the parts of the flower, even to the 
stigmas, were leafy, while the ovules were entirely 
wanting. 
Planchon' figures and describes a flower of Drosera 
intermedia that had passed into a chloranthic condition, 
excepting the calyx, which was unchanged; the petals, 
like the valves of the ovary, were provided with sti- 
pules, and were circimnate in vernation. 
1 “Ann. Sc. Nat.,’ 3 ser., vol. ix, p. 86, tabs. v, vi. 
