284 ORGA.NOGEAPHY. 



leaf, and hence each simple pistil or carpel has necessarily two 

 stigmas, the normal positions of which are lateral. In many 

 Eosaceae, as in the Eose, the stigma is notched on the side 

 corresponding to that from which the placenta arises, which is 

 another proof of its double nature. 



The stigmas of a syncarpous pistil are generally opposite to 

 the cells, and alternate with the dissepiments, but it sometimes 

 happens, as in the Poppy {fig. 426), that half the stigma of one 

 carpel unites with a similar half of that of the adjoining carpel, 

 and thus it becomes alternate with the cells, and opposite to 

 the dissepiments, which are here, however, imperfect. 



The term stigma is only properly applied to that portion of 

 the style which is destitute of epidermis and which secretes the 

 stigmatic fluid ; but it is often improperly given to mere divisions 

 of the style. Thus in the species of Iris {fig. 629), the three 

 petaloid portions of the style are by some botanists termed 

 petaloid stigmas ; whereas the stigma is properly confined to a 

 little transverse space near the apex of each division. In many 

 plants of the natural order Leguminosse, such as Lathyrus 

 {fig. 589), the hairy part towards the summit of the style has 

 been termed a stigma, but the latter is confined to the apex of 

 that organ. In Labiate Plants also, the style frequently divides 

 above into two branches {fig. 595), and these have been called 

 stigmas, but the latter, as in the instances just alluded to, are 

 confined to the apices of the divided portions of the style. 



We have already seen that the stigma may be separated from 

 the ovary by the style, or the latter organ may be absent, in 

 which case the stigma is said to be sessile, as in the Barberry 

 {fig. 570) and Poppy {fig. 426). In Orchids the stigma is sessile on 

 the gynostemium {fig. 580, x), and appears as a little cup-shaped 

 viscid space just below the attachment of the pollen masses. 



In a syncarpous pistil the stigmas may be either united toge- 

 ther, as in the Primrose {fig. 587), or distinct, as in the Campa- 

 nula {fig. 490); in the latter case, instead of looking upon these 

 separate parts as so many distinct stigmas, it is tisual to describe 

 them as if they were portions of but one ; thus we speak of a 

 bifid, trifid, &c., stigma, or a bilohate, trilobate, &c., stigma, 

 according to the number and appearance of the divisions. The 

 term lobe is usually applied when the divisions are thick, as in 

 the Lily {fig. 632), and Melon {fig. 633); or when these are 

 flattened and somewhat strap-shaped, as in the Compositse {fig. 

 684), the stigma is fissured or cleft; or when flattened into 

 plates or bands they are termed lamellae, as in the Bignonia {fig. 

 635) and Mimulus. The number of these divisions in the majority 

 of instances corresponds to the number of carpels of which the 

 pistil is composed ; and if the latter organ is many-celled, the 

 number of cells will generally correspond also to the divisions of 

 the stigma. Thus the five-cleft stigma of some Campanulas indi- 



