GYNCECIUM IN ANGIOSPERMS. 261 



appearance of a suture, has been somewhat incongruously named 

 the Outer or Dorsal Suture. 



481. The number of carpels in a gynoecium is simply expressed 

 by adjective terms consisting of Greek numerals prefixed to this 

 word : e. g., Monocarpellary, of a solitary carpel ; Dicarpellary , of 

 two carpels ; Tricarpellary, of three ; Tetracarpellary, of four ; 

 Pentacarpellary, of five, and so on up to Polycarpellary, of many 

 or at least of several and an indefinite number. Less general 

 and only partially sj-noi^nious terms are such as Monogynous 

 (of one pistil), Digynous (of two), Polygynous (of many), &c. 

 These are adjective forms of the names of the orders, from 

 Monogynia to Polygynia, in the Linnsean artificial classification, 

 which either supposes the carpels to be separate or partly so, or 

 confounds simple and compound pistils. 



482. When the gyncecium is of a solitary carpel, the position 

 of this as regards the axis of inflorescence is not uniform ; but 

 commonly its back or dorsal suture is before the subtending 

 bract, or in other words the ventral or ovule-bearing suture 

 faces the axis of inflorescence. When there are two carpels, 

 they face each other, bringing their ventral sutures into opposi- 

 tion, and as to axis of inflorescence either median or transverse 

 (291), but usually median, that is antero-posterior or in the 

 line of bract and axis. Craciferae, Capparidaceae, and Fumari- 

 aceae are somewhat remarkable for having their two carpels 

 right and left, that is, collateral or, in other words, transverse. 

 When three, four, or a greater number, they divide the circle 

 equally, or when numerous they take a spiral instead of verticil- 

 late order, and occup}' several or man} 7 ranks, as in Ranunculus, 

 Magnolia, Potentilla, &c. 



483. The Gyncecium may be either of separate carpels 

 (Apocarpous} , or of carpels coalescent into one body (Syncar- 



pous}, or of all grades between the two. Apocarpous pistils are 

 simple ; a syncarpous pistil is compound. 



484. In both, the essential parts are the ovary and the stigma. 

 The style may be conspicuous and widely separate these two, 

 as in Fig. 536-538 ; or hardly any, as in Fig. 532-535 ; or none 

 at all, as in Fig. 530, 531, 533. 



485. Placenta. This name a is applied to any surface in the 

 interior of the ovary on which ovules are borne. It has been 

 stated (579) that these are usually borne upon the margins of 



1 Taken from a remote analogy with the placenta of the higher animals. 

 The name appears to have been introduced into botany by Adanson It has 

 been termed Trophospermum or Spermophorum by some of the early modern 

 botanists. 



