THE FLOWER 



131 



Now the side of the blossom which faces the bract is the anterior, or 

 inferior, or lower side ; while the side next the axis is the posterior, 

 or superior, or upper side of the flower. 



259. So, in the labiate corolla (Figs. 198, 200), 

 the lip which is composed of three of the five 

 petals is the ariterior, or inferior, or lower lip; the 

 other is the posterior, or superior, or upper lip. 



260. Terms applicable to corolla and calyx. — 

 Gamopetalous, said of a corolla the petals of which 

 are coalescent into one body, whether only at base 

 or higher. The union may extend to the very 

 smnrait as in Morning Glory, the Datura (Fig. 

 189), and the like, so that the number of petals 

 in it may not be apparent. The old name for 

 this was monopetalous, but that means "one- 

 petaled " ; while gamopetalous means " petals 

 united," and therefore is the proper term. 



Polypetalous is the counterpart term, to denote 

 a corolla of distinct, that is, separate petals. As it means " many- 

 petaled," it is not the best possible name, but it is the old one and 

 in almost universal use. 



Gamosepalous applies to the calyx when the sepals are in this way 

 united. 



Polysepalous, to the calyx when of separate sepals. 



261. Degree of union or of separation in descriptive botany is ex- 

 pressed in the same way as is the lobing of leaves. See Figs. 116-123, 



and the explanations. 



262. A corolla when 

 gamopetalous commonly 

 shows a distinction (well 

 marked in Figs. 191- 

 193) between a con- 

 tracted tubular portion 

 below, the Tube, and the 

 spreading part above, 

 the Border or Limb. The junction between tube and limb, or a 

 more or less enlarged upper portion of the tube between the two, 

 is the Throat. The same is true of the calyx. 



263. Some names are given to particular forms of the gamopeta- 

 lous corolla, applicable also to a gamosepalous calyx, such as 



Wheel-shaped, or rotate, when spreading 

 out at once, without a tube or with a very short 

 one, something in the shape of a wheel or of 

 its diverging spokes (Figs. 194, 195). 



Salver-shaped, or salver-formed, when a flat- lO-l 195 



