PISTIL. 



18S 



the pollen is of a glutinous nature, very different from 

 its natural aspect. This forms yellow elastic masses, 

 {Pollinia) often stalked, in each cell of the anther, and 

 the cells are either parallel and close together, or re- 

 moved from each other to the opposite sides of the style. 

 In Asclepias, the pollen is borne in 5 pair of glutinous 

 masses, exactly as in the Orchis, by 5 glands upon the 

 stigma. Some obscurity arises from each mass of pol- 

 len being received into a cell, (Antheridium) formed 

 by a peculiar valvular apparatus that encircles the 

 organs of impregnation, and bears a great resemblance 

 to stamens."* 



4. PISTIL. 



Between the stamens we find the pistils, equally es- 

 sential in the economy of vegetation, and equally neces- 

 sary to the completion of the flower. In the Lily there 

 is one, and the flower is monogynous ; in grasses, and 

 in the garden Pink, there are two, and the flower is 

 digynous ; in the Elder there are three, and the flower 

 is trigynous ; and in the Magnolia there are several, 

 and the flowers are polygynous. Each pistil consists 

 of three distinct portions, the Ovary or Germen, the 

 Style and the Stigma. 



" The Ovary or Germen is the lower extremity 

 of the pistil, supporting the style and stigma ; and con- 

 taining the rudiments of the future seed. If it is situ- 

 ated immediately upon the base or receptacle of the 

 flower, as in Arbutus, it is said to be sessile ; if it is 

 supported upon a pedicle elevating it above the base 

 of the flower, as in the Poppy and Caperbush, it is 



* Smith.- 



