THE RECEPTACLE, DISK, ETC. 



267 



in that family. Occasionally one or more of the internodes between 

 successive floral circles elongate ; as between the calyx and the 

 corolla in Pinks, and especially in Silene, forming a stalk within the 

 calyx, on which the rest of the flower is raised (Fig. 432) ; while 

 in many Gentians the inter- 

 node above the circle of 

 stamens is developed, rais- 

 ing the pod on a stalk of its 

 own. This is a common 

 case in the Caper family ; 

 in which the genus Gynan- 

 dropsis (Fig. 433) exhibits 

 a remarkable development 

 of the Avhole receptacle. It 

 is enlarged into a flattened 

 disk, Avhere it bears the pet- 

 als, and is then prolonged 

 into a conspicuous stalk which bears the stamens, — or rather, to 

 which the bases of the stamens are adnate, — and then into a shorter 

 and more slender stalk for the pistil ; thus separating the four circles 

 or sets of organs, like so many whorls of verticillate leaves. The 

 general name for this kind of stalk, as contradistinguished from the 

 pedicel or stalk of the flower, is the Stipe ; and whatever organ or 

 set of organs is thus elevated is said to be stipitate. Whenever it is 

 necessary to particularize the portion of the receptacle thus devel- 

 oped, the stipe is termed the Anthophore when it appears just above 

 the calyx, and elevates the petals, stamens, and pis- 

 tils ; the Gonophore, when it supports both the sta- 

 mens and pistils ; and the GynopJiore, Gynohase, or 

 Carpophore, when it bears the gyncecium alone. The 

 stalk which sometimes supports each simple pistil of the 

 gynjEcium (lis in Coptis or the Goldthread) is called [ j! 

 a ThecapJwre. This, however, does not belong to the 

 receptacle at all, but to the pistil itself, and is ho- 

 mologous with the leafstalk. 



489. A Disk is a part of the receptacle, or a growth from it, en- 

 larged under or ai'ound the pistil. Like the other parts of the floAver, 



FIG. 432. Section of a flower of Silene Pennsylvanica, showing the stipe or anthophore. 

 FIG. 433. Flower of Gynandropsi.'?, with a remarkably elongated receptacle. 

 FIG. 434. Disk of the Orange, underneath the pistil (hypogyuousj. 



