ORGANS OF REPEODrCTIOX. 



249 



from one another, as in the Vine {fig. 604), they are said to be 

 free or distinct ; when united, as in the Mallow {fig. 635), they 

 are coherent or connate. 



Wlien the stamens unite the union may take place either by 

 their anthers, or by their filaments. "\Maen the anthers cohere, the 

 stamens are termed, syngenesious ov synantherov.s {fig. 534). This 

 union occurs in all the Compositse, in the Lobelia, Violet, (fee. 

 "When the anthers thus unite the filaments are commonly, 

 although not always distinct. When union occurs between the 

 stamens, however, it is more common to see the filaments united, 

 and the anthers free. The union by the filaments may take 

 place in one or more bundles, the number being indicated by a 

 Greek numeral prefixed to the word ade/jjhous, which signifies 

 brotherhood. Thus, when all the filaments unite together and 

 form one bundle, as in the Mallow {fig. 535), and Wood Sorrel 

 {fig. 536), the stamens are monadel'phous. When such a union 

 takes place in a complete flower, the coherent filaments neces- 

 sarily form a tube or ring round the pistil placed in their centre, 

 as in the Wood »Sorrel {fig. 536). AVhen the pistil is absent, 

 and the flower incomplete, the united filaments form a more or 

 less central column, as in Jatropha Curcas {fig. 537, a). When 

 the filaments unite so as to form two bundles, the stamens are 

 termed diadeJphous, as in 



the Pea {fig. 538), and Fu- Fig. 538. 



mitory, in which case the 

 number of filaments in 

 each bundle may be equal, 

 as in the Fumitory, or 

 unequal, as in the Pea, 

 where there are ten sta- 

 mens, the filaments of 

 nine of them being united 

 to form one bundle, while 

 the other filament remains 

 free (/^. 538). TMienthe 

 stamens are united by their 

 filaments into three bundles they are triadelphoKS, as in most 

 species of St. John's Wort { Hypericuin) {fig. 540) ; when in 

 more than three, polyadelphous, as in the Castor Oil Plant 

 {Ricinns comrmrais) {fig. 541), and Orange {fig. 539). The term 

 polyadelphous is applied by many botanists, in all cases where 

 there are more than two bundles of stamens ; it was used in this 

 sense by Linnseus. 



The union of the filaments in the above cases may either 

 take place more or less completely, and thus form a tube of 

 varying heights, as in the Mallow {fig. 535). and Wood Sorrel 

 {fig. 536) ; or the union may only take place at the base, as in 

 the Tamarix gallica {fig. 489). The bundle or bundles, again, may 



Fip. 538. Diadelphous stamens of the Sweet 

 Pea {Lathvrus), surrounding the pistil. 

 There are ten stamens, nine of which are 

 united and one free. 



