Studies of Teratological Phenomena. 



61 



normal flower being 5-parted, the abnormal having approximately 10, 

 15 and 20 lobes. Such a series is no present in JSicotiana, irregularity 

 in number being characteristic of all increases in the number of parts 

 to its whorls. 



Alterations in flowers expressed in a linear manner or as a single 

 plane are usually confined to the gynoecium. The other whorls generally 

 retain their normal shape, unless rendered impossible through changes 

 in the form of the gynoecium. 



Hypertrophy and atrophy are commonly present. The former 

 expresses itself as an increase in size relations, the latter as abortions 



Fig. 4. Fasciated pineapple fruit with 71 crowns. 

 (After M. T. Cook.) 



of organs. Atrophy associated with fasciation frequently takes the 

 form of abortion of gynoecial and androecial (contabescence of anthers) 

 structures, producing either partial or complete structural and functional 

 sterility. 



Many minor alterations in the character of each whorl may be 

 associated with fasciation. Petalody of sepala (calycanthemy) and 

 stamens, pistillody of stamens, adhesion and cohesion of the different 

 floral organs, synanthy, syncarpy, and dialysis are somewhat common 

 attendant phenomena. One may rightly infer from the preceding 

 account that in the floral organs, the expression of tliis anomalous 

 character very often reaches its maximum, and produces its greatest 

 alterations. 



