ABORTIONS. 133 



Let us begin with Flax itself, which offers but a 

 slight instance of abortion. Its parts are thus — 



Ij i5 Ij i3 O 



p p p p p 



S S S S S 



s 8 s a t 



C C C C C 



Here the consequence of this presence of the abortive 

 row 5, is to throw the carpels out of their place, and to 

 bring them opposite the sepals, instead of opposite the 

 petals. 



The Primrose Tribe shows a deviation of a more 

 important nature. It calyx, corolla, and stamens are 

 thus — 



o o Ij o o 



P P P P P 



• • • • • 



s s s s s 



In this case the third row, whether belonging to the 

 petals or stamens is missing, and the consequence is 

 that although the stamens are equal in number to the 

 petals they are opposite to them, instead of alternate. 

 This also happens in the Buckthorn Tribe, and else- 

 where, but I have chosen the Primroses to illustrate 

 this sort of irregularity, because that tribe, in the 

 instance of the genus Samolus, contains a proof that 

 the abortion which theory points out really does exist. 

 Its parts are thus — 



s s s s s 

 p p P p p 



