Читать книгу Vegetable Teratology - Maxwell T. Masters - Страница 8

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The union of parts, usually separate in their adult condition, is of very common occurrence as a malformation. The instances of its manifestation admit of being grouped under the heads of Cohesion, where parts of the same whorl, or of the same organ, are united together; and of Adhesion, where the union takes place between members of different whorls, or between two or more ordinarily wholly detached and distinct parts. In either case, the apparent union may be congenital (that is, the result of a primitive integrity or a lack of separation), or it may really consist in a coalition of parts originally distinct and separate. In practice it is not always easy to distinguish between these two different conditions. Indeed, in most cases it cannot be done without tracing the development of the flower throughout all its stages. It is needless to make more than a passing allusion to the frequency with which both congenital integrity or subsequent coalescence of organs exist under ordinary circumstances. Considered as a teratological phenomenon, union admits of being grouped into several subdivisions, such as Cohesion, Adhesion, Synanthy, Syncarpy, Synophty, &c. Each of these subdivisions will be separately treated, but it maybe here said that, in all or any case, the degree of fusion may be very slight, or it may be so perfect that there may be a complete amalgamation of two or more parts, while to all outward appearance the organ may be single. The column of Orchids may be referred to as an illustration under natural circumstances of the complete union of many usually distinct parts.

In the uncertainty that exists in many cases as to the real nature of the occurrence, it would be idle to attempt to explain the causes of fusions. It is clear, however, that an arrest of development will tend towards the maintenance of primordial integrity (congenital fusion), and that pressure will induce the coalition of organs primarily distinct.