20 GOETHE ON THE METAMORPHOSIS OF PLANTS. 
76. Nature herself, in instances of regular and constant occurrence, 
has further disclosed to us in manifold ways the fruitfulness concealed 
in the leaf. Thus in the Lime, a leaf (in rather an altered state it is 
true, but still easily recognized) produces from its midrib a little stalk 
with a perfect blossom and fruit. Still more remarkable is the manner 
in which the blossom and fruit are situated on the leaf, in Ruscus.* 
17. Yet greater, we may even say monstrous, is the inherent fruit- 
fulness of the fronds of Ferns; which by an internal impulse, and per- 
haps independently of any definite operation of stamens and pistils,f 
develope, and scatter around, innumerable seeds (spores), or rather, 
germs capable of growth ; one single frond rivalling a wide-spreading 
plant, nay, a large branching tree, in fruitfulness. 
78. If we keep in view the observations which have now been made, 
we shall not fail to recognize the leaf in all seed-vessels, notwithstand- 
ing their manifold forms, their variable structure, and different combi- 
nations. Thus, for example, the pod of a leguminous plant would 
be a simple leaf folded together, with its margins united. Husks 
(Schoten) would consist of several leaves grown one: upon another. 
Compound pods (capsules) might be explained as composed of several 
leaves united round a common centre, joined together at their margins, 
but open towards each other on the inner side. This is obvious enough 
* The illustrations of this paragraph are not well chosen. In the case of the 
Lime-tree, the flower-stalk is simply adherent to the bract for a portion of its length ; 
while the so-called leaves of Ruscus are more properly considered as leaf-like branches. 
Some, however, contend that the leaf-like orgaus, on the margins of which the 
flowers are borne, in Xylophylla, are truly to be regarded as leaves, and not as phyl- 
loid branches. In Bryophyllum calycinum, Nymphea micrantha, and many Ferus, 
the E give origin to a great number of buds, by which the plants may be pro- 
pagated. ; : 
T The recent researches of Nägeli, Suminski, and others, have proved the exist- 
ence of organs analogous to stamens and pistils (antheridia and pistillidia) in Ferns, 
as well as in other so-called Cryptogamous plants, and have further shown that no new 
Spores ean be formed until after the contents of the pistillidium have been fertilized 
by the spermatozoids formed in, and emitted from, the antheridia. 
: his principle is made by De Candolle the foundation of a system of classifica- 
tion of fruits and seed-vessels, which is in many respects the simplest and best that 
has yet n proposed. The more recent researches of Lestiboudois completely con- 
firm the —— that the carpels are homologous with leaves. (Ann. Se. Nat. Bot. 
1855, p. 242) The double-flowered Cherry has pretty constantly its carpels exist- 
records of teratology afford numerous 
ea s condition of the carpels. (Moquin-Tandon, * Térato- 
logie Végétale, p. 204 ; Brongniart, * Archives du Musée, tom iv. p. 4, ete. ete.) 
es be fi fi i h 
was not suspected in Goethe’s — ee re, IE EE ERY; 
