ELONGATION, 433 
speaking, the appearances presented in such cases are 
not sufficiently striking to demand notice other than 
as regards their size. “One illustration, however, may 
be cited from its smgularity. This was the case of a 
dahha, in which the centre of the flower was occupied 
by a projecting knob as large as a walnut, brown in 
colour, and very hard in texture. This knob was 
nothing but the enlarged and indurated extremity 
of the < common receptacle, destitute of the scales and 
florets which usually spring from it. No insect- -puncture 
could be detected, and no other reason for this peculiarity 
could be eemiteined. 
CLAP Phi ihr 
ELONGATION. 
THe class of cases coming under this head are 
sufficiently indicated by the name. There are many 
instances of this phenomenon occurring under different 
conditions, which, though unusual, can hardly be called 
abnormal, such, for instance, as the great lengthening 
of roots in their search for water, the excessive elon- 
gation that takes place in plants when grown at a 
distance from the hght, in their endeavour to attain to 
which they become, as gardeners phrase it, “ drawn.” 
A similar result is brought about in forests or planta- 
tions, where long spars are required, by allowing the 
trees to grow very close to each other, so as to prevent 
the lateral extension of the branches. When plants 
grow in running water their roots, stems, and some- 
times their leaves, become excessively elongated, as 1 
Ranunculus jluitans, the flower-stalks of Valisneria 
spiralis, &e. These are cases of variation rather than 
of malformation, but are none the less curious, or 
sometimes perplexing; thus, Lapeyrouse described, m 
