Page:Flora Hongkongensis.djvu/64

xxxviii Flowers usually very irregular, may, on certain individuals, lose more or less of their irregularity, or appear in some very different shape. Spurs, for instance, may disappear, or be produced on all instead of one only of the petals.

One part may be occasionally added to, or subtracted from, the usual number of parts in each floral whorl, more especially in regular polypetalous flowers.

Plants usually monœcious or diœcious may become occasionally hermaphrodite, or hermaphrodite plants may produce occasionally unisexual flowers by the abortion of the stamens or of the pistils.

Leaves cut or divided where they are usually entire, variegated or spotted where they are usually of one colour, or the reverse, must also be classed amongst those accidental aberrations which the botanist must always be on his guard against mistaking for specific distinctions.