PLOWER-STALKS. AB5 
MM. Clos and De Schoénefeld have recorded the ex- 
istence of a variety of the sweet chestnut (Castanea) in 
which the female catkins were as long, and bore nearly 
as many flowers, as the male spikes. This is stated to 
be of constant occurrence in some localities, and to 
be accompanied by a diminished size of the fruits. A 
similar elongation has been observed in the case of the 
walnut, catkins of which have been seen bearing thirty 
to thirty -five large nuts.’ 
In the strobile of the hop, Humulus Lupulus, a like 
elongation may sometimes be met with, generally in 
association with a more or less leafy condition of some 
of the scales. 
Of a similar character, but complicated with extru- 
sion or eversion of an ordinarily concave axis, is the 
fig described by Zuccarini,’ and from the appearances 
presented by which that author draws the inference 
that the peculiar appearance of the fig is due to the 
formation of a large number of small bracts blended 
together for the greater part of their length, and ac- 
companied by the suppression of the internodes, and 
consequent shortening of the axis. In the monstrous 
fruit the axis is prolonged, and forms a kind of raceme 
or catkin, surrounded at the base by numerous bracts, 
as In many Amentacee. (See p. 204, figs. 105, 106. ) 
A lengthening of the axis of the female strobiles of 
Conifere is not of infrequent occurrence in Cryptomei “Ld 
japonica, Larix europea, &e., and this is usually asso- 
ciated, as has been before stated, with a leaf-hke con- 
dition of the bracts, and sometimes even with the 
development of leaf- bearing shoots in place of the 
scales. (See under Prolification of Inflorescence and 
Phyllomorphy, and for references, p. 115.) 
Elongation of the secondary flower-stalks. —In the previous 
section the effect of elongation of the main rachis has 
been considered. A corresponding deviation occurs in 
* Bull. Soc. Bot. France,’ t. i, 1854, p. 175, and t. xi. p. 96. 
‘ Abhandl. Math. Phys. Class..’ Band. iv, Abhandl. i, fal i. 
