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VEGETABLE TERATOLOGY. 
CVS- 
stamens being in this case transformed into capsules more or less large. During the summer of 1839 
I learned, that at some miles from Breslau, there was a whole field of Papavers metamorphosed in the 
manner indicated. I obtained a considerable quantity of them, in all degrees of transformation, each 
central capsule having round it from one to sixty small supplementary capsules, and, what is very impor- 
tant, ripe seeds existed, not only in the principal capsules, but also in many of the accessory ones. The 
following year (1850) I sowed a good number of these seeds, purposely selecting the contents of the 
large capsules round which were arranged the most small ones ; I sowed these seeds in two different 
places, namely, one packet in a compartment well exposed to the sun ; the second in a small sheltei'ed 
garden. The result proved clearly that the metamorphosis in question was induced by circumstances 
the most favourable to the luxuriant growth of this species, namely, good soil, full exposure to the sun, 
and the greatest possible space for each plant. 
In the compartment first named, the foremost part alone was unshaded ; the other part, forming a 
partial slope, was shaded from right to left by some small bushes. At this latter point, the seed which 
sprung up in abundance was not at all thinned, so that the plants more crowded could not attain the 
same height as those of the other portion, where 
there was more space for their development. Never- 
theless, of eighty of the first plants (of the portion 
not shaded), ten only did not present any trace of 
metamorphosis ; all the others showed it in the 
most varied manner, though certainly it only at- 
tained, its maximum of energy in ten cases. In the 
portion of the ground much shaded, where the 
second lot of seeds had sprung up, most of the heads 
showed metamorphosed stamens ; but the number 
of these latter was, in general, very limited — one, 
two, ten, for each central capsule, and, among sixty 
of these capsules, two, at the most, had from forty 
to fifty small supplementary ones. Moreover, when 
even these small capsules were very numerous, and 
formed a circle round the central one, there remained 
a tolerable number of un transformed stamens on each 
head. Formerly I had supposed the metamorphosis 
to have absorbed all the male organs of the same 
flower ; it was owing to my not having followed the 
phases of this transformation, my observations having 
been confined to the capsules which were already 
mature. 
The metamophorsis begins ostensibly by the ap- 
pearance of a substance which, produced with the 
torus, is interposed and developed between the 
bases of the filaments of the stamens, with which it 
effects a junction in the form of a ring. Subsequently this substance surrounds the principal capsule, 
either in part (in which case the metamorphosis only effects a small number of stamens), or entirely 
(when the most of the stamens are transformed). But in every case it is only the interior ranks of 
the stamens which become monstrous ; the exterior ones preserving their normal form. As soon as 
the junction of the bases of the stamens attains the length of from two to three lines, the transforma- 
tion of the anther to a carpel commences. At first the connective is swelled and becomes convex on 
the back, opening in a split in front. The exterior valves of the cells of the anther project, and become 
rcflcxed behind, in the form of wings. It is these which form "the large and non-papillous border of 
the stigma. At the same time the external border of the partition of the anther becomes more promi- 
nent, and covered with papillae. It is this which forms the true stigmatie line which answers to the 
papillous rays of the stigmatiferous disc of the normal capsule. The analogy between the two is 
evident. The stigma is already formed, when the ovules have not yet appeared. Then' formation 
begins by the dilating of the connective : this organ opens more and more in front, and its cavity, 
which seems bordered by stigmatie papillae, soon shows the rudiments of the ovules. In proportion 
as this cavity becomes more profound (deeper) the upper part of the metamorphosed stamens takes 
the form of a hollow club, in which is developed by degrees the longitudinal ranks of the ovules. 
Here my observations close. When the number of monstrous stamens is considerable, and, conse- 
? 
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