230 



( in the ' London Journal of Botany,' iii. 130) that the "ovule is 

 essentially anatropous, that is to say, the chalaza is separated from 

 the hilum by a raphe of greater or less length, and the foramen is 

 brought down to near the hilum," but he does not observe upon the 

 fact that in every instance of an anatropous ovule, the chalaza and 

 raphe are both external with regard to the primine and secundine. 



If we suppose an orthotropous ovule ( that is, one in which the base 

 is really the lowest point as to position, and the foramen at the top ) 

 standing at first upright upon a funiculus of its own length, and after- 

 wards the apex of the ovule ( primine, secundine and all) turned down 

 so as to touch the base of the funiculus, and the funiculus itself 

 brought into a state of intimate adhesion throughout its whole length 

 with the surface of the primine, we shall have a correct representation 

 of the actual structure and appearance of an anatropous ovule at the 

 period of fecundation. Would it not therefore be more correct, and 

 more in harmony with the original use of the term hilum, to consider 

 the apex of the adhering funiculus the real point of attachment be- 

 tween the funiculus and the ovule ? 



The fact appears to be, that the primine, secundine and nucleus 

 have invariably one common point of junction : any thing asserted to 

 the contrary depends solely on the technical ( and in this case mis- 

 chievous ) employment of the term base. Had the foramen of the 

 ovule always been fixed upon as indicating the apex of the ovule and 

 the opposite extremity the base ( except in those cases where the nu- 

 cleus is bent or doubled), the confusion evident in the present defini- 

 tion would have been avoided, and the term anatropous, independent 

 almost of any theory on the subject, would have been unobjection- 

 able ; at present, it expresses what to me appears a false view of the 

 actual growth and development of the ovule. The illustrations in 

 Lindley's work at Plate V, figs. 18, 19 and 20, are probably imagi- 

 nary, and not from nature : but even admitting them to be accurate 

 representations, they do not, in the points here commented upon, sup- 

 port the definition. 1 have never been able to find a period when the 

 ovule, if cognisable at all, had not already assumed the anatropous 

 state. 



To prevent any misconception of my meaning, I would here define 

 a raphe as an adherent funiculus, embracing a portion of the ovule; 

 and I propose that in future, the extremity of the raphe most remote 

 from the placenta be considered the true base of the ovule ; that being 

 the real point of junction, as indicated by the line of vascular tissue 

 within the raphe. 



