ABORTION, 459 
Atrophy is partial and special in its operation, nanism 
is general. 
Under ordinary circumstances atrophy is exemplified 
by the presence of rudimentary or imperfect organs, as, 
for mstance, in Pentstemon, Scrophularia, &c., where 
one stamen is atrophied. 
For convenience sake atrophy may be divided into 
abortion and degeneration, the first including cases 
where, from ar rest. of dey elopment. occurring at an 
early stage, organs are present; but im a much smaller 
and more rudimentary condition than usual, their form 
and general appearance, except so far as regards their 
dimensions, not being materially altered. On the other 
hand, in cases of degeneration, development is not 
entirely checked, but re ather perverted, so that not only 
the dimensions are lessened, but the form is altered. 
CHAPTER I. 
ABORTION. 
Tux sense in which this term is here understood has 
been explained in the preceding paragraph. It is only 
necessary to say further, that cases of abortion are to 
be distinguished from those of suppression, on the one 
hand, and those of degeneration on the other. In 
suppression there is from the first an absolute deficiency 
of a particular organ. In degeneration the part 1s 
present, but in a diminished and perverted condition. 
In abortion it exists, but in a stunted and dwarfed, 
but not otherwise permuted state. 
Abortion of axile organs—When the main stem is ar- 
rested in its growth, the habit and general appearance 
of the plant are materially altered, as in the so-called 
stemless plants, plante acaules. In these the inter- 
