ORGANS OF REPRODUCTION. 



329 



— or, they may be very numerous, when it is said to be multi- 

 ovulate or indefinite, as in Viola {fig. 429). 



The position of the ovules with regard to the cavity in which 

 they are placed is also liable to vary. Thus when there is 

 but one ovule, this may arise at the bottom of the ovary and be 

 directed towards the summit, as in Compositae, Polygonacea 

 ifig. 710), Rubiacete, &c., when it is said to be erect; or it 

 may be inserted at the summit of the ovary and be turned 

 downwards, as in the Valerianaceee, and Hippuris {fig. 711), 

 Fig. 710. Fig.ni. Fig. 712. Fig. 713. 



Fig. 710. Vertical section of the ovary of a species of Rumex {Pobj- 

 gonacecK). p. Enlarged calvx surrounding the ovary. The ovary 

 contains a single, erect, ortlio"tropou3 ovule. The embryo is inverted 

 or antitropous. Fi<i- 'H- A carpel of the Mare's Tail (Hippuris vul- 

 garis), o. Ovule, which is inverse or pendulous, and anatropous. s. Base 



of the style. /.Funiculus, r. Raphe, c. Chaiaza. From Jussieu Fiy. 



712. A carpel of the Pellitory {Parictaria qpicinalis), with a single ascend- 

 ing ovule. The letters have the same references as in the last figure. From 

 Jussieu Fig. 713. A carpel of the Mezereon (Daphne ilezereum), con- 

 taining a solitary suspended ovule. The letters refer as before. 



&c., in which case it is inverse or pendulous ; or if it is attached 

 a little above the base, and is directed obliquely upwards, as 

 in Parietaria {fig. 712), it is ascending; or if, on the con- 

 trary, it arises a little below the summit, and is directed 

 obliquely downwards, as in the Mezereon {fig. 713), Apricot, 

 it is said to be suspeyided; if from the side of the ovary, without 

 turning upwards or downwards, as in Crassula, it is horizontal 

 or peltate. In some plants, as in Armeria {fig. 622), the ovule 

 is suspended from the end of a long funiculus arising from the 

 base of the ovary ; such an ovule is frequently termed reclinate. 

 In the above cases the position of the ovule is in general 

 constant, and hence this character is frequently of much im- 

 portance in discriminating genera and natural orders. Thus 

 in the Compositae, the solitary ovule is always erect ; while in 

 the allied orders, the Valerianaceoe and Dipsacacese, it is sus- 

 pended, or pendulous ; — the latter terms are frequently con- 

 founded by botanists. In the Polygonacete and the Eubiacese 

 also, the ovule is always solitary and erect ; in the Thymelacese 



