OBGAKS OF EEPEODUCTION. 



223 



419, p) and Pink {Dianthus) {fig. 458) ; the narro\red portion is 

 then termed the unguis or claw {fig. 459, o), and the expanded 

 portion the limb /, and the petal is said to be unguicnlate or 



Fig. 459. 



Fig.Ah%. The flower of a species of Pink (Dianf/itwl. &. Bracts, forming an 



epicalyx. c. Calyx, p, p. Petals, e. Stamens. Fig. 459. One of the 



petals of the same flower, o. Claw or unguis. I. Limb, which is fringed 

 at the margin. 



clawed. In this particular petals must be considered to resemble 

 leaves more than the sepals do, as the latter organs are almost 

 without exception sessile, or destitute of claws. 



The outline of petals, like those of leaves, is subject to great 

 variation. Thus, they may be linear, oblong, lanceolate, elliptic, 

 ovate, cordate, &c. The application of th^se terms having been 

 abeady fully explained when speaking of leaves, need not be 

 further alluded to. The condition of their margins also ; the mode 

 in which they are divided; and the terminations of petals are also 

 indicated by the same terms as those previously described under 

 similar heads in our chapter on leaves. Thus the petals may 

 be dentate, serrated; cleft, partite, sected; acute, emarginate, 

 &c. The petals are not however liable to any further division 

 than that of the original one ; thus, although sometimes pin," 

 natificl, or pinnatipartite, &c., they are never hipinnatifid, or 

 bipinnatipiartite. One term is occasionally used in describing 

 the condition of the margins which has not been alluded to 

 when speaking of leases ; thus they are said to be fimbriated or 

 fringed, as in some species of Dianthus {fig. 459), when they 

 present long thread-like processes. 



In form also, the petals may be either flat, as is usually the 

 case, or concave, tuhidar, boat-shaped, &c. The terms used suffi- 

 ciently explain their meaning. A few anomalous forms of petals 

 will be explained hereafter. In texture the petals are commonly 



