July U>00.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH 337 



Internal to the nectaries is a broad ring of conical 

 unicellular hairs. These (Fig. 12, h.) extend outwards and 

 upwards, and form a more or less efficiently protective barrier 

 over the nectaries. 



Gyncccium. — The gynophore (Fig. 12) is somewhat elon- 

 gated, or broadly club-shaped, constricted at its point of 

 origin from the concave surface of the torus. Its epidermis 

 is either smooth or covered with numerous conical unicellular 

 hairs. Its surface is raised up into blunt papilhe, each 

 representing the point of insertion of a carpel. In con- 

 sistency it is usually dry, not increasing very much in size 

 on fruiting. P. Comarum is an exception to this, and forms 

 a transition to tlie succulent condition of the Fragarias. 



Vascular Supply. — The stele, after giving off the ten or 

 twenty strands to the floral envelopes and androecium, 

 passes on into the gynophore, where it branches into many 

 small strands, which together form a vascular cone, with a 

 few lateral anastomoses. From the outer surface of this 

 network arise the small twigs supplying the separate pistils. 

 Each twig separately passes obliquely upwards and outwards 

 through the cortex into the carpellary stalk. The pith cells 

 adjoining ihe vascular network frequently contain numerous 

 rosette crystals of calcium oxalate. 



Pistils. — These are, as a rule, very numerous, although 

 occasionally the number is much reduced. Each (Fig. 14) 

 has a small stalk, which is continuous with a very marked 

 ventral keel on the ovary. Ovary, style, and stigma are 

 well demarcated. The ovaries are roughly ellipsoidal, 

 slightly flattened from side to side, with a distinct keel on 

 the ventral side, which is occasionally continued as a less 

 marked ridge around the dorsal border. The style, which 

 arises as a continuation of the ventral keel, originates at 

 different levels in different species, so that the distance 

 between the actual and organic apex of the ovary varies 

 within wide limits ; and this is a point that may be of some 

 systematic importance. Thus in some it is slightly lateral, 

 in others more markedly so. In others, again, it may be 

 almost basal, as in P. rujDcsfris, which, in this connection, forms 

 ii link witl\ P. Comarum and the Frarjarias. Concurrent 

 with this variability in the point of origin of the style are 

 different degrees of anatropism of the ovule, from anatropous 



