not always possible to discriminate between
those instances in which there has been a true suppression, an absolute
non-development of any particular organ, and those in which it has been
formed, and has grown for a time, but has afterwards ceased to do so,
and has been gradually obliterated by the pressure exercised by the
constantly increasing bulk of adjacent parts, or possibly has become
incorporated with them. In the adult flower the appearances are the
same, though the causes may have been different.

CHAPTER I.

SUPPRESSION OF AXILE ORGANS.

Absolute suppression of the main axis is tantamount to the non-existence
of the plant, so that the terms "acaulescent," "acaulosia," etc, must be
considered relatively only, and must be taken to signify an atrophied or
diminished size of the stem, arising from the non-development of the
internodes.

The absence of lateral branches or divisions of the axis is of frequent
occurrence, and is dependent on such causes as the following:--deficient
supply of nutriment, position against a wall or other obstacle, close
crowding of individual plants, too great or too little light, too rich
or too poor a soil, &c.

Probably the absence of the swollen portion below the flower in the case
of many proliferous roses, double-flowered apples, as already referred
to, may be dependent on the non-development of the extremity of the
peduncle or flower-stalk. Thus, in a double-flowered apple recently
examined, there was a sort of involucel of five perfect leaves, then
five sepals surrounding an equal number of petals, numerous stamens, and
five styles, but not a trace of an expanded axis, nor of any portion of
the carpels, except the styles. The views taken as to the nature of this
and similar malformations must depend on the opinion held as to the
nature of inferior pistils, and on the share, if any, that the expanded
axis takes in their production. As elsewhere said, the evidence
furnished by teratology is conflicting, but there seems little or
nothing to invalidate the notion that the end of the flower-stalk and
the base of the calyx may, to a varying extent, in different cases,
jointly be concerned in the formation of the so-called calyx-tube and of
the inferior ovary. Obviously it is not proper to apply to all cases
where there is an inferior ovary the same explanation as to how it is
brought about.

As these pages are passing through the press, M. Casimir de Candolle has
pub