MM. Clos and De Schoenefeld have recorded the existence of a variety of the sweet chestnut (_Castanea_)in which the female catkins were as long, and bore nearly as many flowers, as the male spikes. This is stated to be of constant occurrence in some localities, and to be accompanied by a diminished size of the fruits. A similar elongation has been observed in the case of the walnut, catkins of which have been seen bearing thirty to thirty-five large nuts.[511] In the strobile of the hop, _Humulus Lupulus_, a like elongation may sometimes be met with, generally in association with a more or less leafy condition of some of the scales. Of a similar character, but complicated with extrusion or eversion of an ordinarily concave axis, is the fig described by Zuccarini,[512] and from the appearances presented by which that author draws the inference that the peculiar appearance of the fig is due to the formation of a large number of small bracts blended together for the greater part of their length, and accompanied by the suppression of the internodes, and consequent shortening of the axis. In the monstrous fruit the axis is prolonged, and forms a kind of raceme or catkin, surrounded at the base by numerous bracts, as in many _Amentaceae_. (See p. 204, figs. 105, 106.) A lengthening of the axis of the female strobiles of _Coniferae_ is not of infrequent occurrence in _Cryptomeria japonica_, _Larie europaea_, &c., and this is usually associated, as has been before stated, with a leaf-like condition of the bracts, and sometimes even with the development of leaf-bearing shoots in place of the scales. (See under Prolification of Inflorescence and Phyllomorphy, and for references, p. 115.) =Elongation of the secondary flower-stalks.=--In the previous section the effect of elongation of the main rachis has been considered. A corresponding deviation occurs in the peduncles or pedicels, and sometimes alters the general character of the inflorescence very considerably, converting a spike into a raceme, a raceme into a corymb, a capitulum into an umbel, and so forth. A few such cases may here be alluded to. Fig. 206 represents a specimen of _Ranunculus acris_, in which the lower and lateral flower-stalks were not only increased in number, but so much lengthened as to form a flat-topped inflorescence--a corymbose cyme. In many leguminous plants, as in _Trifolium repens_, _Lotus corniculatus_, &c., what is usually a compact spike, or head of flowers, becomes a raceme from the elongation of the pedicels. In _Umbelliferae_ a similar change occurs, by virtue of which sometimes the umbels themselves, and at other times the florets, are raised on unusually long stalks, as in _Angelica Razoulzii_, _Carum Carui_, _Thysselinum palustre_.[513] In _Compositae_, when affected by an analogous change, the capitulum assumes the appearance of a simple umbel, as in _Hypochaeris radicata_, _Senecio vulgaris_, and other plants.