FORKING AND FASCIATION. 51 



The quasi-paradoxical nature of fasciation (a com- 

 promise between coherence and separation) as illus- 

 trated in the case of a fruit, is well brought out by- 

 some lines in "A Midsummer Night's Dream " which, 

 on the precedent of Masters, may here be quoted : 



"A double cherry, seeming parted ; 

 But yet a union in partition, 

 Two lovely berries moulded on cue stem." 



-Mids. Night's Dream, Act III, Sc. 2. 



Fia. 76. — Oucurbita Pepo (Vegetable Marrow). Twin or fasoiated fruit. 

 (E. J. Salisbury photo.) 



b. RiNG-FASOiA'i'ioN. — This is merely a stereotyped 

 stage in the dichotomy of the flower, and is brought 

 about as follows. A lateral constriction occurs, in- 

 volving an invagination of the outer tissues or floral 

 leaves; if this were to proceed half-way across we 

 should get the condition as stereotyped in frequent 

 abnormal capitula as in that of a Pyrethrum observed. 

 If the constriction were to continue completely across 

 the organ, or were met by a similar one approaching 

 from the opposite side, then simple division of the 



