Page:Hardwicke's Science-Gossip - Volume 1.pdf/119

Giants and dwarfs, fat boys, Siamese twins, and such-like mis-shapen monsters, are exhibitions which are much sought after by the gaping multitude. And yet there is something exceedingly repulsive in such sights, and really very little, if anything, to be learned from them in a scientific point of view.

There are plenty of monstrosities, too, in the vegetable kingdom, like Siamese twins, giants, dwarfs, nondescripts, and other apparent mistakes in nature's handiwork; but here, strange to say, there is nothing unpleasant to contemplate, and they also differ from animal monstrosities in offering no attraction to any, save those who make natural history their study; but such imperfect specimens are always of great interest to the physiologist, as teaching him facts relative to the life and growth of plants, that a perfect flower would never have told him.

I have taken notes, and generally made drawings of a considerable number of these curious forms that have come within my observation, some of which may interest a few of the readers of Science-Gossip. I have taken them from my portfolio at random, without any regard to the sequence of time when they were found.

Twin Peas (fig. 68), gathered in 1861. These were two perfect and full-sized pods proceeding from one calyx; the stalk quite single, showing

that it was not two flowers anastomosed together, as is not unfrequently seen, but that the pea blossom had contained two pistils.

Hedge Woundwort, Stachys sylvatica (fig. 69), gathered at Cirencester in 1849. In these specimens the calyx was in every case unchanged. Corolla in all cases monopetalous, but the segments somewhat enlarged, rounded, nearly equal in size, greenish in colour, and distinctly marked with branched veins like a leaf. Stamens absent. Pistils foliaceous, consisting of two leaflets united at their bases forming a tube, but spreading upwards into two distinct leaves. Ovules also foliaceous, consisting

of four minute green leaves attached to the inside of the ovary, with an indication of a petiole to each from the receptacle. I since found a complete plantation of similar flowers in Cheshire, but I do not remember the exact date, though I know the precise spot, which I have revisited several times, in the hope of finding more specimens, but always without any success.

Charlock, Sinapis arvensis (fig. 70), gathered at Cirencester in 1849. In this specimen almost every

flower was foliaceous, the sepals and petals being partially or altogether converted into leaves, of an obovate, almost lyrate form, tapering at the base, in colour either quite green, or yellow with a strong