18 FRUCTIFICATION, OK FLOWER AND FRUIT. 



stalk is concerned. It also frequently shelters and 

 protects the more delicate internal parts ; is either 

 general or partial ; permanent or deciduous ; sim- 

 ple or double ; of one leaf or of several ; undivided, 

 cloven, or manycleft. There are 7 kinds of Calyx. 

 1. Perianthium, Perianth, or Calyx commonly so 

 called, the most general, is that which is con- 

 tiguous to, or actually makes a partof, the Flower, 

 but is not always present. This is sometimes 

 double. It differs in situation with regard to the 

 Germen (59), being either superior or inferior to 

 that organ ; sometimes intermediate, or surround- 

 ing it about the middle. Its forms are extremely 

 various, of one leaf or of several ; regular or ir- 

 regular; simple, or with an external, generally 

 smaller, calyx, C aly cuius ; or other appendages, 

 as in PultencEa. It is either round, or angular; 

 compressed, tumid, or inflated; leafy, coriace- 

 ous, or membranous ; sometimes finally pulpy ; 

 smooth, hairy, or prickly. In Compound Flowers 

 generally composed of imbricated scales, which 

 close over the Seeds, 

 a. Involucrum, an Involucrum, is remote from the 

 rest of the Flower, partaking of the nature of a 

 Bractea (47 : 2), and chiefly noticed in the Lin- 

 nsean characters of proper Umbelliferous Plants 

 (48: 7). This is either general, or partial ; the 

 latter being denominated Involucellum. The 

 Involucrum of Ferns is membranous, covering 



