12 



THE GENUS RANUNCULUS. 



[part I. 



affixed to the upper part of the receptacle, which is 

 drawn up in the shape of a cone to receive them. 

 The flower shown inj%'.4,and the detached petal 

 (e), given separately to show the little scale at 

 itsbase,areof the 

 natural size ; but 

 the anther b is 

 magnified to show 

 the curious man- 

 ner in which it is 

 affixed, for its 

 whole length, to 

 the filament. The 

 section of the 

 flower is also 

 magnified to show 

 the elevated re- 

 ceptacle, and the 

 position of the carpels c and the stamens d with 

 regard to each other. Theline^ shows the position 

 of the corolla, and y that of the calyx, while the 

 short line between the corolla and the stamens 

 indicates the scale, which, from its being sup- 

 posed to serve as a receptacle for honey, is 

 sometimes called the nectary. The carpels, it 

 will be observed, each consists of a broad part 

 swollen in the centre, which is the ovary, with 

 a curved part or beak at one end, terminating 

 in a sharp point, which is the stigma. Each 



Fig. 4. — The flower of the common 

 Buttercup. 



