Jan., 1903.] 
Fasciation. 
347 
compacted that the stem was entirely concealed while the top of 
the stalk was twisted down. In woody plants fasciated stems are 
nearly always split or twisted, often both, as shown in Ailanthus 
glandulosus (Fig. /, a.) 
Fasciation is found frequently 
occurring in many cultivated 
plants ; the flowers, hyacinths, 
gladioli, narcissus, violets, gerani- 
ums, nasturtiums ( Tropoeolum ); 
the garden vegetables, cabbage or 
Brassica oleracea, and beets, Beta 
vulgaris ; and trees, Pinus, Thuya, 
Taxus, Salix, Alnus.Ulmus, Prunus 
and Populus. Several plants are 
cultivated only in their fasciated 
form, the most familiar one being 
the coxcomb, Celosia cristata, L-, 
and to this peculiar distortion is 
due the wide crest so greatly desired 
by the florist. 
That it is possible to transmit the 
tendency to fasciate we have as proof 
not only the coxcomb but the results 
of experiments carried out by De- 
Vries, with eight different plants in 
all of which fasciation proved to be 
hereditary. The percentage of fas- 
ciated seedlings in the fourth gen- 
eration was 40 : while in the fifth, 
2 j. per cent, showed marked fascia- 
tion. Wherever there was a tend- 
ency to revert to the normal it seem- 
ed to result from scant)' nutrition, 
while where abundance was sup- 
plied the number of fasciated plants 
was in great predominance. 
Goebel in his ‘ ‘ Organography of 
Plants,” states that it is difficult to 
answer the question as to the cause 
of fasciation. He classes it under 
j,. 2 malformations which appear spon- 
Kuscifltuti Thistle-, Caniuus lanceoiatus. taneousl) and are not caused b) 
external conditions although these 
may call the deformity forth. Other 
authors suggest various causes which are many times wholly 
contradictory. Union of several stems, flattening of one growing 
point, over nutrition, lack of nutrition, decline of vital energy, 
