THE CARPEL 



251 



Of special interest from the standpoint of the nature of the ovary in 

 the apple are those flowers in which the flower is normal in every way, 

 except for the proliferation of the receptacle as a normal leafy stem. 

 Rarely, these flowers are pollinated, and apples mature with a leafy 

 stem protruding from the apex (Fig. 97). Increase in diameter of the 

 stem within the apple distorts and bursts open the fruit. Longitudinal 



'i\ 



B 



Fig. 96. Diagrams of longitudinal sections 

 of proliferated Hower of Rosa cinnamomea 

 and fruit of Tyrus Mains showing by form 

 and position of the vascular cylinder their 

 morphological nature. In A, the receptacle 

 of the flower is hollow; in B, the receptacu- 

 lar stele extends as a cylinder through the 

 center of the fruit, showing that the flesh 

 of the rose fruit is largely receptacular, that 

 of the apple, appendicular. (Dotted lines in 

 B, position of deciduous appendages.) 



Fig. 97. Sketch of proliferated fruit 

 of Pijms Mains, 18 months after 

 flowering, showing continuation of 

 growtli of receptacular stele through 

 the center of flower and fruit. Fleshy 

 fruit, representing bases of adnate 

 sepals, petals, and stamens; the tops 

 of two withered leaflike sepals still 

 persisting. (Specimen provided by 

 Prof. K. D. Brase, N.Y. State Agri- 

 cultural Expcr. Sta., Geneva, N.Y. 

 Drawing by Elfriede Abbe.) 



sections of these proliferated flowers and fruits (Fig. 96B) show the 

 nature of the apple flower. The vascular stele continues through the 

 flower and the fruit, without expansion or inversion, as in the rose. 

 Only a slender central part of the "core," extending between the carpels, 

 is cauline; the rest of the flower and fruit are appendicular. The in- 

 terpretation of the apple ovary and the flesh of its fruit as axial in 

 nature is inaccurate. If the fleshy part of the apple and pear were axial 



