8 A. D. Hardy: Teratological Note. 



and its parts undisturbed, the entrance pores (which niay be found 

 as inter-antheral spaces in a normal bloom.) were -almost obliterated. 

 It would have been diflicult, if not impossible, for the tongue of a 

 lepidopterous agent to be thrust through, yet in the attempt suffi- 

 cient pollen could have been conveyed thence by the baffled insect to 

 effect cross pollination. After almost exhaustive inquiry, I have 

 found only one record of an occurrence somewhat similar, though 

 both irregular and rhythmic polyphylly have been recorded for Nar- 

 cissus and other allied plants; and I have seen, but failed to pre- 

 serve, flowers of Narcissus answering to the following formulae : — 

 (K3; C4; A3 + 3;G3), {K3 ; 03; A3-fO; G3), and (K or C3; A3-h3; 

 G3), cases in which the modication appears to have been due to sup- 

 pression of a wliorl or a niember, or (as in the first case) an increase, 

 on no clearly discernible plan. Worsdell,^ however, records an approxi- 

 mate case of polyphylly of Crocus : — K4 ; C4 ; A4 ; G4 and K5 ; C5 ; 

 A5; Go, and of Tulipa^ K4 ; 04; A4 -i- 4 ; G5. Also, he quotes 

 Buchanan as having described the like, observed in Lilinni croceum. 

 It may be noted hei-e that Worsdell'-^ associates rhythmic alternation in 

 increase of members of whorls, such as : — 



K5; 04; A5 + 4 ; G5 (Tulipa) 



K3; 04; A3; G4 (Crocus) 



K4; C3; A4 + 3; G4 {Gulanthus) 



with heterotaxis of a spiral nature. Church, ^ on the other hand, 

 finds in the early development stage of Narcissus a normal asym- 

 metry and spiral formation which, hoAvever, disappear during 

 the maturation of the flower. In the present case there is no visible 

 spiral taxis or torsion. 



1. I^oc. cit. 



2. Loc. cit. 



3. A. H. Clmrch, MA., D.Sc. "Types of Floral Mechanism, Pt. I., 1908." 



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