ESSENTIAL ORGANS. THE PISTIL. 



207 



orders of cryptogamic plants, and enclosing in place of fovilla, peculiar 

 bodies called phytozoa (QVTOV, a plant, and ao, an animal) (fig. 368, 2), 

 which are often rolled up in a circular or spiral manner, as in Hepa- 

 tica3 and Mosses (fig. 368, 3). These exhibit active movements at 

 certain periods of their existence, and resemble in this respect animal- 

 cules. In Chara vulgaris (fig. 369), the antheridium or globule, as it is 

 called, contains cells, 1, from which proceed numerous septate (septum, 

 a division) tubes, t. In each of the divisions of these tubes, 2, there 

 is a phytozoon which escapes in a spiral form, leaving the division 

 empty, 3, and ultimately becomes unrolled, 4, exhibiting two vibra- 

 tile cilia (ciltum, an eyelash), to which the movements are referred. 



428. The Dish. The term disk is applied to whatever intervenes 

 between the stamens and the pistil, and is one of these organs to 

 which the name of nectary was applied by old authors. It presents 

 great varieties of form, such as scales, glands, hairs, petaloid appen- 

 dages, fec., and in the progress of growth it often contains saccharine 

 matter, thus becoming truly nectariferous. The degeneration and trans- 

 formation of the stamens frequently form the disk. It may consist of 

 processes rising from the torus, alternating with the stamens, and thus 

 representing an abortive whorl; or it may be opposite to the stamens, 

 and then formed by chorization (^[ 383), as 



in Crassula rubens (fig. 258 a). In some 

 flowers, as Jatropha Curcas, in which the sta- 

 mens are not developed, their place is occu- 

 pied by glandular bodies forming the disk 

 (fig. 314, 2, a). In Gesneraceae and Cruci- 

 ferse the disk consists of tooth-like scales at 

 the base of the stamens (fig. 345, t). The 

 parts forming the disk sometimes unite and 

 form a glandular ring, as in the Orange ; 

 or a dark-red lamina covering the pistil, as 

 in Paeonia Moutan (fig. 370 rf); or a waxy 

 lining of the calyx tube, as in the Rose 

 (fig. 270 c i); or a swelling at the top of the 

 ovary, as in Umbelliferas. 



429. The Pistil. The pistil occupies the centre or axis of the 

 flower, and is surrounded by the stamens and floral envelopes, when 

 these are present. It constitutes the innermost whorl, and is the 

 female organ of the plant, which after flowering is changed into the 

 fruit, and contains the seeds. It sometimes receives the name of 

 gyncecium (yvvy, pistil, and cmlov, habitation). It consists essentially 

 of two parts, the ovary or germen, containing ovules or young seeds, 

 and the stigma, a cellular secreting body, which is either seated im- 



Fig. 370. Disk, d, of Paeonia Moutan, or Tree Paeony, covering the ovary, and interposed be- 

 tween the whorl of stamens, s, and the pistil, />. 



