242 THE FLOWEE. 



as classified above (447), may be drawn at random from different 

 families of plants ; and most of the technical terms necessarily em- 

 ployed in describing these modifications may be introduced, and 

 explained, as we proceed. The multiplication of parts is usually in 

 consequence of the 



451. Augmentation of the Floral Circles. An increased number of 



circles or parts of all the floral organs occurs in the Magnolia 

 family ; where the floral envelopes occupy three or four rows, of 

 three leaves in each, to be divided between the calyx and corolla, 

 while the stamens and pistils are very numerous, and compactly 

 arranged on the elongated receptacle. Tlie Custard-Apple family, 

 which is much like the last, has also two circles in the corolla, three 

 petals in each, a great increase in the number of stamens, and, in _ 

 our Papaw (Fig. 654), sometimes only one circle of pistils, viz. 

 three, sometimes twice, thrice, or as many as five times that number. 

 The Water-Lily, likewise, has all its parts augmented, the floral 

 envelopes and the stamens especially occupying a great number of 

 rows ; and the pistils are likewise numerous, although their number 

 is disguised by being united into one body. When the sepals, petals, 

 or other parts of the flower are too numerous to be readily counted, 

 or even exceed twelve, especially when the number is inconstant, as 

 it commonly is in such cases, they are said to be indefinite ; and 

 a flower with numerous stamens is also termed polyandrous. 



452. When such multiplication of the floral circles is perfectly 

 regular, the number of the organs so increased is a multiple of that 

 which forms the basis of the flower ; but this could scarcely be de- 

 termined when the numbers are large, as in the stamens of a Butter- 

 cup, for example, nor is there much constancy when the whorls of 

 any organ exceed three or four. The doubling or trebling of any 

 or all the floral circles does not interfere with the symmetry of the 

 flower ; but it may obscure it (in the stamens and pistils especially), 

 by the crowdmg of two or more circles of five members into what 

 appears like one of ten, or two trimerous circles into what appears 

 like one of six. The latter case occurs in most Endogenous plants. 



453. The production of additional floral circles may account for 

 most cases of increase of the normal number of organs, but not for 

 all of them. It must, we think, be admitted that certain parts of the 

 blossom are sometimes increased in number by the production of a 

 double organ, or a pair or a group of organs which occupy the place 

 of one ; namely, by what has been termed 



