ing with these latter, and
springing from the throat of the calyx, are the petals. Originating from
the same annular disk as the petals are the stamens, seven or eight in
number. The ovary is partially adherent, is surmounted by a style, and
has two or three loculi with an axile placenta, to which several small
curved ovules are attached. The malformed flowers did not present
anything peculiar in their outer parts, nor did the ovary, partially
immersed within the expanded top of the flower-stalk and the calyx-tube,
which is continuous with that organ, show externally any indication of
the change within. On cutting it across, however, in any direction,
numerous perfect stamens (filaments and anthers) were seen projecting
from the walls of the cavity (fig. 98). In most of the flowers the ovary
was one-celled; but in a few there was the usual axile placenta; yet
even in these latter cases the stamens originated from the walls of the
cavity, and not from the placenta. The stamens presented different
degrees of development; in some cases they were fully formed, the
anther-lobes open, and the pollen exposed; while in other instances the
filaments were involute or circinate, just as the ordinary stamens are
in the unexpanded flower-bud. In some cases imperfect stamens were
found, mere barren filaments, with or without rudimentary anthers at the
top. In no instance was there a perfect ovule, or, indeed, any trace of
ovules. The stamens appeared to be arranged irregularly on the walls of
the ovarian cavity; and while they were certainly more numerous at the
lower portion (that now generally considered to be formed by the
cup-like end of the pedicel), they were not wanting in the upper half of
the ovary (or that which is probably formed from the carpellary leaves).

[Illustration: FIG. 98.--1. Vertical section of flower of _Baeckea
diosmaefolia_, showing stamens within the ovary; magnified ten times. 2.
Transverse section of ovary. 3. Stamen. 4. Imperfect stamen.]

This case differs from most that have been recorded, and in which there
has been a more or less complete substitution of anther for carpel, or
where the tissues of the carpel have produced pollen, and so taken upon
themselves the appearance and functions of anthers. Instances of this
latter kind are not uncommon; but in the _Baeckea_ there were perfect
stamens proceeding from perfect and completely closed ovaries.
Moquin-Tandon[183] cites from Agardh an instance which