RISING PHYLLOTAXIS. 141 



already presented in fig. 1, as including such a descending series of 

 terms arranged -on a circular plan, becomes a valuable convention 

 for the satisfactory completion of the floral diagram of such a type, 

 in that, when the circles are cleaned out, it cannot be distinguished 

 by the eye from the appearances presented by the plant ; while at 

 the same time it retains in its construction the theoretical suggestion 

 of what true reduction should have been if it had taken place 

 equally all round the axis. 



