MIMETIC EESEMBLANCES AMONd PLANTS. 



331 



below numerous minute, inconspicuous, but complete flowers, and the 

 Avhole inflorescence then looks exactly like a white-flowered Clenialis. 

 Daricinia tulii)ifera, as the name implies, has an inflorescence with 

 coloured bracts closely resembling a Tulip in colour and size. Euphorhia 

 jacqiiinicB flora has five scarlet lobes on the rim of the involucral cup, 

 thereby mimicking a corolla with five petals. 



The form of the corolla may be much the same in plants of widely 

 ■distinct families. Thus the papilionaceous corolla of the Leguminosce is 

 imitated by the so-called " falsely papilionaceous " one of Polygala. It 

 is also seen in the gamopetalous corolla of Coleus (Labiatae) and Collinsia 

 (Scrophularineje). In all these the front petal is horizontal and closes 

 over the stamens and pistil. 



A similar-shaped corolla is seen in some species of Pelargonium 

 (Hoarea section). Again, a spike of flow^ers of an Orchid (Disa Cooperi) 

 is very like one of a Larkspur with its upturned and elongated spur. 



Lastly, Crocus (Irideji?), Sternbergia (Amaryllide?e), and Colchimim 

 (Liliace^e) have precisely similar perianths, though they belong to as 

 many different families. The general cause of such similarities in flowers 

 is presuDLablij in consequence of similar insects having been the regular 

 visitors of such flowers as have assumed forms so closelv resembling 

 one another. 



General Conclusion. — When all the above facts (and many more 

 might have been given) are considered together, and when it is noted that 

 in many cases experimental verification shows that the peculiarities in 

 <luestion are the results of the definite or direct action of the environment, 

 the inducti'se evidence is overwhelming that mimetic results are in 

 all cases the consequence of the environment influencing the protoplasm 

 to adaptive response. It will thus be seen that natural selection is quite 

 uncalled for, and, in fact, has no raison cVetrc in the origin of any 

 structure whatever. 



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