66 
From the above it follows that all the whorls are liable to 
augmentation, in most cases by doubling. Notwithstanding the — 
many observations registered in the above, not a single case 
has presented itself of a member of the outer suppressed whorl 
of stamens reappearing. Where the number of alae is greater 
than usual, there is indeed every reason to assume that the 
supernumerary alae are the product of the ordinary ones or 
of the stamen. This circumstance is strongly in favour of 
Ercuier’s first hypothesis, according to which the outer whorl 
of stamens is obsolete and the alae are split off portions of 
the stamen (compare fig. 8 and 9). 
According to the same explanation a member is wanting 
also in the inner, antipetalous, whorl of stamens. Whether or _ 
not it may sometimes reappear, we are not in a position to 
say. In the flower, known as M™ Crozy, which lacks a label- 
lum, but on the other hand possesses two stamens, one might 
be inclined to consider the second stamen as an atavism of the 
lost one, and in Antoine Borton, which has no stamen, to 
look upon the second labellum as a reappearing, though altered, 
stamen. But in both flowers it is more probable that doubling 
is at the bottom, because the other parts of the flowers show 
this phenomenon in so many instances. 
Structure of the flower. 
Two flowers show a left instead of a right arrangement of 
the parts. One flower has a double spiral line i. e. that the 
calyx shows right arrangement, whereas the petals and other 
parts follow a left spiral. 
A fourth flower presents the peculiarity that though the 
flower is normally right, the first petal does not take the place 
between S’ and S$}, but alternates with S? and S' while in the 
same way the following parts of the flower lag behind one 
third of a circle (fig. 9). Of the deviations mentioned, only the 
left winding has, so far as we know, been previously observed 
and that only a few instances. 
Synanthy. Only one case of this kind has been collected by 
Mr, Suirx. This is rather remarkable since the flowers of Canna _ 
aed ad ee ee eae 
