the leaf, nor from a prolonged axis, but they seemed to spring, in the
guise of little buds, from the inner surface of the carpellary leaf.[99]

The occurrence, also, of different forms of placentation in different
flowers on the same plant is no unusual thing in malformed flowers;
thus, in double flowers of _Saponaria officinalis_ I have met with
sutural, parietal, and free central placentation in the same plant.[100]

Professor Babington describes in the 'Gardeners' Chronicle,' 1844, p.
557, a curious flower of _Cerastium_, in which, in addition to other
changes, the five carpellary leaves "were partially turned in without
touching the placenta, which bears a cluster of ovules, and is perfectly
clear of all connection with those partitions" (fig. 51). See also
Lindley, 'Veg. Kingdom,' p. 497.

[Illustration: FIG. 51.--1. Monstrous flower of a _Cerastium_; sepals
and petals leafy. 2. Stamens and pistils separate. 3. Ovary cut open to
show the imperfect dissepiments and the attachment of the ovules. 4. A
deformed ovule.]

M. Baillon[101] records flowers of _Bunias_, some with ovules on the
margins of the carpels, others with a central branch bearing the ovules;
hence he concludes very justly that no fair inference can be drawn from
these facts as to the normal placentation of Cruciferae.

The same excellent observer has recorded the occurrence of free central
placentation in malformed flowers of _Trifolium repens_.[102]

In malformed flowers of _Digitalis_ the change from axile to parietal
placentation may often be seen. Mr. Berkeley describes an instance of
this nature where the placentas were strictly parietal, and therefore
receded from the distinctive characters of the order, and approximated
to those of _Gesneraceae_.

The same author alludes to certain changes in the same flower where two
open carpels "were soldered together laterally, as was clear by the
rudiments of two styles, the placenta being produced only at the two
united edges, the outer margins remaining in the normal condition. This
may possibly tend to the explanation of some cases of anomalous
placentation, for the only indication of the true nature of the
placentation is afforded by the two rudimentary styles, in the absence
of which the spongy receptacle of the seeds must have been supposed to
spring from the medial nerve."

In other cases the placentas were parietal above, but axile at the base
of the capsule, a striking instance of the fa