THE ABORTION OF OVULES 



351 



In the first place, the complemental value of the aborted 

 ovules with regard to the seeds is to be noticed. I had no 

 opportunity of examining the flowers of this tree ; but it is 

 evident from what follows that, as in Vicia, the ovules average 

 about twelve in number. So we find that whilst the one- 

 seeded pods have usually about eleven aborted ovules, the 

 twelve-seeded pods have none. With the intermediate pods 

 we accordingly find the same relation. Thus a four-seeded 

 pod displays about eight ovules and an eight-seeded pod about 

 four ovules. This complemental relation is well displayed 

 in the following table. 



Table showing the Complemental Relation in the Case or 

 Twenty-two Legumes of Albizzia Lebbek between the Number 

 OP Seeds and the Ovules that fail. 



(See previous remarks for further explanation. ) 



Pods with thirteen seeds are rare, probably not 1 per cent, in frequency. Those with 

 two to four seeds are niost numerous, the single-seeded pods being infrequent. 



Another important result was elicited by these observa- 

 tions, namely, that the shape of the pod of Albizzia Lebbek is 

 not afFected by the failure of a seed when it is well advanced 

 in growth. Thus if a seed fails in the body of the pod when 

 it is only one-third or one-half of the mature size, no narrow- 

 ing of the fruit occurs. The form of the pod thus gives an 

 epitome of the history of the ovules, but not of the seed. 

 (I am assuming here that, as in Vicia, Ulex, etc., all the 



