216 



THE NATURALIST. 



in. Pap AVER MACULATUM, ?;ar. superbum. Hort. (PI. I. C. %. 1.2.3.4.^ 



f Metamorphosis. J 



The metamorphosis of stamens into pistils, of which the present is an 

 instance, has already been described, if not for this species, at any rate for 

 neighbouring types belonging to the same genus. Moquin-Tandon, in his 

 classical work, states that this transformation has been observed by various 

 botanists, in the bracteated poppy, Papaver hracteatum, P. orientale, P. 

 nudicaule, and P. somnifei^um . M, Malbranche, * has noticed it in P, 

 Tiortense, Huds. My reason for mentioning it is, that these authors des- 

 cribe a complete metamorphosis into pistils, whilst in the present case 

 the metamorphosis is incomplete, the stamens have made one step 

 towards, but have not become, veritable pistils. Firstly, the filament is 

 considerably thickened and enlarged, and the same is the case with the upper 

 portion of the stamen. The part a [fig. 1.2. 3. 4.) simulates a placental 

 surface charged with atrophied ovules ; the part h presents a stigmatic aspect ; 

 lastly the part c assumes the colour and consistence of the intervals which 

 separate the stigmatic rays of the disc of the capsule. 



I have observed this incomplete ascending metamorphosis in a mode- 

 rately large number of flowers. The transformed stamens, to the number of 

 from twenty to fifty, are closely applied all round the normal capsule, which 

 they either equal in height, or attain but to a third of it. 



This monstrosity was produced in 1864, in the Horticultural establish- 

 ment of M. Van Houtte, at Ghent. 



IV. Linaria vulgaris, L. (PI. I. D. fig. 1, 2. 3. J 



( Synanthie.) 



The elements of two complete flowers enter into the composition of this 

 case. The figures 1. 2. 3. will render it unnecessary for me to enter into 

 lengthy details upon it. The pedicel is enlarged and compressed, and presents 

 a longitudinal furrow. Upon the hinder face of the tube of the corolla, is 

 produced a somewhat deep depression a. fig. 2.^) which terminates superiorly, 

 at the inside, in a narrowed petalloid tongue reaching to the level of the 

 palate and which simulates a kind of style. 



The pistil on the right hand side was a little feebler than the other. 

 Figure 2. which is copied from a sketch, leaves something to be desired with 



* (Quelques faits de teratologie vegetale, par A. Malbranche, in 8vo avecune planche, 

 p. 4. (Extrait dii Precis de I'Academie Imperiale des Sciences, Belles-Lettres, et Arts de 

 Rouen, Annee, 1857-1858.) 



