Studies of Teratological Phenomena. 



129 



tMs by experiment but after carefully considering the data he gives as 

 to its extent and origin, I think there is but slight doubt that had 

 experiments been feasible, the results would have proved the truth of 

 this assumption. A comparison of the photographs in Blodgett's paper 

 with those of fasciation in Piswn umbellatum (Fig. 29) show the two forms of 

 the character to be morphologically indistinguishable. In the presence 

 of such data, the question arises, are we justified in speaking of fasciation 



Fig. 28. Fasciation in Pisum sativum due to environment. 

 (From photograph after Blodgett.) 



as being latent in the normal peas, such as those reported by Blodgett? 

 It is far simpler, it seems to me, to regard it as hereditary in both 

 forms, for under the same conditions, it is reasonable to suppose that 

 this particular variety of Pisum sativum would always produce the 

 phenomena Blodgett observed. The interesting point is that there is a 

 hereditary difference between Pisum umhellatum and all other peas, 

 when all are grown under ordinary environmental conditions. In neither 

 case is a character latent, but rather absent, as a character is just 

 as much an effect of a specific environmental medium as it is 

 an effect of a bit of protoplasmic material. With appropriate 

 material and appropriate environment, this effect can always be produced, 



Induktive Abstammnngs- und Vererbungslehre. XVI. 9 



