CUKIOSITIES OF VEOETABLE MORPHOLOGT. 
157 
and amongst them it appears to occur most commonly in 
Eanunculus, Anemone, Poppy, Clematis, Hepatica, Greranium, 
Pelargonium, Camellia, Deutzia, Fuchsia, &c., those mentioned 
being within easy observation of frequenters of gardens or 
cultivators of flowers. Dr. Masters says : “ When petalody 
specially affects the anther-lobes, as in Arbutus, Petunia, 
Fuchsia, &c., the venation of the petal-like portion is very 
frequently laminar, thus tending to show that the anther is 
in such cases really a modification of the blade of the leaf ; 
but as, on the other hand, we often find petal-like filaments 
having pollen sacs on their sides, it is clear we must not 
attribute the formation of pollen to the blade of the leaf only, 
but we must admit that it may be formed by the filament as 
well.” He also says that the “tendency to petalification is 
greater among those plants which have their floral elements 
arranged in a spiral series, than amongst those where the 
verticillate arrangement exists.” 
Doubtless the cultivators of “Popular Science” will look 
out for instances of these and other modifications ; and they 
may be assisted by another quotation from Dr. Masters, who 
informs us that De Candolle observes that, in the Kanun- 
culacae, the species of Clematis become double by the expan- 
sion of the filament, those of Eanunculus by the dilatation of 
the anthers, and those of Helleborus by the petal-like develop- 
ment of both filament and anther.” 
It would have been easy to have thrown the matter of the 
preceding pages into a more regular form, but the one chosen 
has arisen out of accident that may happen to many observers. 
It occurred to the writer that remarks founded upon a few 
objects which he had collected and mounted during a few 
months of the past and present year might stimulate others 
to make observations and collections of this description, and 
would be more acceptable to many than a technical or formal 
essay. It is often necessary to study objects according to a 
logical or scientific arrangement of them into groups, but the 
microscopist who keeps his eyes open will find subjects of 
investigation presented to him in defiance of all rules. This 
is the case in reference to plants as much as to anything else ; 
and the preceding illustrations may show how various species 
and parts may be studied, with the additional interest afforded 
by finding that the information they afford all tends to coalesce 
in certain broad philosophical ideas. Few persons can be 
, botanists, in the sense of acquiring a complete knowledge of 
any considerable portion of the immense vegetable kingdom ; 
but anyone in a few hours of recreation may acquire food for 
pleasant thought, and learn enough to appreciate many of the 
broad generalisations at which the greatest investigators arrive. 
