1877.] Variation in Aistivation. : 263 
modes and some are convolute. In buds of the irregular corolla, 
the two upper lobes cover the others. In twelve out of nineteen 
buds, the left lobe of the two outer lobes was outside; in seven 
the right lobe was outside. It is not easy to determine which is 
number three and which number four, both covering number 
five. Of over one hundred flowers of Phlox Drummondii, all 
had the lobes of the corolla convolute to the right. By cultiva- 
tion and selection for some years, we have numerous permanent 
varieties or races showing a great variety in color, size, ete., but 
the xstivation shows no signs of change. I found in one hun- 
dred buds of perennial phlox the lobes of the corolla were all 
convoluge to the right. Of over one hundred flower-buds of 
Lobelia cardinalis the lobes of the corolla were all valvate. 
From the foregoing examples, I judge that enough attention has 
not heretofore been given to some of the forms of xstivation which 
have been thought uncommon. Each sepal and petal should be 
observed with reference to eack other sepal and petal and the 
axis or bract ; also the direction of the whorls or spirals, whether 
to the right or to the left. The tips of the flower-buds should 
not be cut off before observing them for diagram or description. 
Some species are quite constant as to mode, but vary in direction 
of spirals ; others are constant in mode and in direction; others 
vary as to which sepal or petal is outside the rest. I have intro- 
duced no new names to express some of these modes of æstiva- 
tion, nor have I used all those which others have proposed. In 
some cases I have preferred to number the outer sepal or petal 
one, the next within two, and so on till all are numbered. Then 
begin with number one and place the numbers in a horizontal 
row as they occur, passing always to the right as the flower is 
held before the observer. This mode would be of much greater 
value if we could always tell with ease which sepal or petal was 
next to the axis or opposite to it. Many authors have copied 
errors from each other. ‘These errors have, doubtless, many of 
them been made, authors giving general or definite rules after 
examining only a few specimens. 
As estivation varies so much where it has been thought so 
Constant, often even in the flowers on the same plant, it seems to 
me there has been too much stress placed upon certain modes ; 
that it renders of less value the efforts of Jussieu and others to 
explain or harmonize the quincuncial with other kinds of æstiva- 
tion, Perhaps we have placed too little stress upon some trivial 
Umstance or accident in deciding the mode of æstivation in 
`- any particular flower. 
