178 COMPOUND ORGANS OP PLANTS. 



appendages to petals. In Ranunculus, transverse chorization 

 or dilamination of the petals, produces a scale-like body at 

 their base, (Fig. 78,) and a two-lobed appendage on the inside 

 of the lamina of the petals of Silene, (Fig. 79 ;) and in Parnas- 

 sia Caroliniana this accessory structure assumes at the base of 

 the petal the appearance of abortive stamens, (Fig. 80.) These 

 bodies, however, are situated opposite to the petals as shown in 

 the diagram, and the stamens alternate with the lobes of the 

 corolla and are therefore in their normal position, so that 

 these appendages are certainly not stamens, but are produced 

 by the transverse chorization or dilamination of the petals 

 opposite to which they are placed. 



One or more pieces of the same verticil may Jiuve united 

 among themselves, or the whole of the pieces of the same verti- 

 cils may have become coherent. These unions are extremely fre- 

 quent, and may manifest themselves in all the floral verticils. 

 Thus the sepals may becom.e soldered together and form a 

 monsepalous calyx, or the petals, a monopetalous corolla ; and in 

 like manner the stamens may unite together by their filaments 

 and become monadelphous, diadelphous, or polyadelphous, or 

 by their anthers and become synantherous or syngenesious; and 

 lastly, the carpels may become united together by their ovaries, 

 or by their ovaries, styles and stigmas, so as to constitute an 

 apparently unique pistil. These different kinds of soldering 

 are very common amongst flowers, and, generally speaking, they 

 do not alter their symmetry and regularity. 



But, in other flowers, it is more difficult to perceive at first 

 sight what it is that disturbs their regularity and symmetry, as 

 for instance when two or more pieces of the same verticil 

 become soldered together. In general, however, with a little 

 care, the number of petals or sepals which have united, and 



