vitalba , L., with Special Reference to Trimery and Abortion . 1 15 
whilst the early flowers exhibit a prominent mode at twenty-seven. In the 
‘ curve * for the gynaecea of the early flowers no trimery is apparent, but the 
more numerous examples of late flowers show a clear tendency in this 
direction. Prof. Macleod’s figures, therefore, though emphasizing the 
trimerous tendency, do not show the periodic grouping to so marked an 
extent as the specimens examined by the writer. 
It may perhaps be well to emphasize the fact that in all the specimens 
dealt with in this investigation the parts have invariably been counted twice 
to avoid possible error, and wherever necessary examined under the 
dissecting microscope to ensure the inclusion, in the total, of aborted 
rudiments and the recognition of any precocious abscission. To avoid error 
from the latter cause such 
examination is particularly 
necessary where unopened 
buds are not exclusively em- 
ployed. 
In the last-named paper 
Mr. Dallman has collected 
data regarding the perianth 
of Ficaria verna from over 
49,000 flowers derived from 
a number of widely separated 
localities. The results show 
that though the mode is the 
same in all cases the relative 
proportion of specimens show- 
ing increase or decrease may vary with the locality or season. The 
range in sepal number observed was from 0-6 and of petals from 4-1 9. 
The latter figures are identical with those given by Babington ( 1834 ). 
In reference to the calyx Mr. Dallman expresses the doubt as to whether 
true asepaly occurs, and, indeed, in all the examples studied by the writer, 
in which there were apparently less than three sepals, this was found to be 
due to precocious abscission or petaloidy of one or more members. With 
respect to the corolla the upper limit in the present writer’s specimens; viz. 
eleven, appears to be seldom exceeded, and the three examples cited by 
Mr. Dallman with seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen petals respectively are 
admitted to have been the outcome of fasciation. 
I 2 
