Some abnormal flowers of Argemone mexicana and their bearing on the morphology of the gynoecium of papaveraceae

Abstract

Abnormal flowers of Argemone mexicana are described in which the gynoecium has been transformed into a cup with lobed margin or into free leafy carpels. The number of lobes or leafy carpels in such gynoecia is found to vary from three to five. This agrees with the general view of systematists regarding the number of carpels composing the gynoecium in this species, and is against the views of Saunders and Dickson who postulate twice as many carpels.