46 DEVELOPMENT OF THE ANTHER. 



In looking at a spiral flower, or one with multiple whorls, 

 such as a Ranunculus or Water-lily, we cannot fail to be struck 

 with the gradual transformation of sepals into petals, and these 

 again to stamens. On the other hand, when we examine a double 

 flower we perceive that the multiplication of the members of 

 the perianth is accompanied with a reduction of those of the 

 Androecium, and the question presents itself — Are we to regard 

 the stamens as modified petals, or, on the contrary, to assume the 

 petals to be stamens, which, having ceased to be polliniferous, 

 have become specialized, and rendered attractive to solicit visita- 

 tions from the insect world. 



Or may we look upon each group as a distinct and inde- 

 pendent departure from the typical leaf. In opposition to this 

 view may be placed the fact that the two orders are constantly 

 met with in abnormal forms conversely merging the one into the 

 other. Now the theory of progression from petals to stamens 

 seems more in accordance with the law of centripetal differenti- 

 ation of parts.: Thus for example, bracts resemble foliage 

 leaves more than sepals do,, sepals are more leaf -like than petals, 

 and these again more so than stamens. But the fact, that in 

 probably the greater number of cases the growth of the corolla 

 is subsequent and subordinate to that of the Androecium, leads 

 one to hesitate to accept such a theory ; and when we remember 

 that in an important division of the vegetable kingdom, the 

 gymnosperms, there are no protective whorls — that in many 

 plants there is a hiatus between the calyx and androecium, in 

 which the corolla is either wholly absent or represented by 

 staminodes, infertile stamens, we are disposed to look upon even 

 the bright and gorgeous corolla as a sort of afterthought of 

 nature, a contrivance of the organism to render more effectual 

 the fertilization of the ovule — a device by which the perpetuation 

 of the species is sought to be secured by the direct intervention 

 of insects rather than by the fortuitous action of atmospheric 

 currents. 



If we now enquire what is the nature of the transformation 

 of one member into another, we perceive it to be in the first 

 place a sort of atrophy. A suppression of the leaf blade, and 

 in the next place the production of a powdery substance within 

 certain cavities of the leaf stem. 



