278 THE STRUCTURE OF FLOWERS. 



Degeneracy in the Gyncecium — If the theory be true 

 that a typical flower should contain two whorls of carpels, 

 or, if spirally arranged, several cycles, then it is an obvious 

 fact that these conditions are not the prevailing ones in 

 nature. In a simple type, like Ranunculus, we find the pistil 

 of many carpels, but with one ovule in each alone developed, 

 except in monstrous conditions ; if the ovules be numerous, 

 then the carpels are reduced in number, as in the Selleborece. 

 This is a primary result of Compensation. And when 

 carpels have become whorled —a condition I take to be 

 primarily due to adaptations to insect agency, causing an 

 arrest of axial growth by the enhancement of the corolla, 

 etc., (see p. 6) — then degeneracy begins to play an important 

 part, in that, firstly, (theoretically, be it observed) one of 

 the two whorls of carpels goes altogether, sometimes the 

 calycine (e.g. Fuchsia), at others the petaline (e.g. Cam- 

 panula). 



Secondly, the number of carpels diminishes, as in the 

 Gamopetalce, where less than five prevail The following 

 table will show with tolerable accuracy the proportional 

 number of carpels and ovules that prevail in the first three 

 divisions of Dicotyledons. 



Observations. — (1) The first-mentioned correlation has two 



