INTRODUCTION. Xxi 



apparently forms part of, the tube of the calyx, or it is adherent to, and apparently 

 forms part of, the ovary, or of both calyx-tube and ovary. Hence the tluree following 

 important distinctions in the relative insertion of the floral whorls. 



140. Petals, or as it is frequently expressed, flowers, are 



hypogijnoiis (i. e. under the ovary), when they or the disk that bears them are en- 

 tirely free both from the calyx and ovary. The ovary is then described as free or su- 

 perior, the calyx as free or inferior, the petals as being inserted on the receptacle. 



peHgynous {i.e. round the ovary), when the disk bearing the petals is quite free 

 from the ovary, but is moi'e or less combined with the base of the calyx-tube. The 

 ovary is then still described as free or superior, even though the combined disk and 

 calyx-tube may form a deep cup with the ovary lying in the bottom ; the calyx is said 

 to he free or inferior, and the petals are described as inserted on the calyx. 



epigynoiis {i. e. upon the ovary), when the disk bearing the petals is combined both 

 with the base of the calyx-tube and the base outside of the ovary ; either closing over 

 the ovary so as only to leave a passage for the style, or leaving more or less of the top 

 of the ovary free, but always adhei'ing to it above the level of the insertion of the lowest 

 ovule (except in a very few cases where the ovules are absolutely suspended from the 

 top of the cell). In epigynous flowers the ovaiy is described as adherent or inferior,. 

 the calyx as adherent or siipe7'ior, the petals as inserted on or above the ovary. In 

 some works, however, most epigynous flowers are included in the perigynous ones, and 

 a very different meaning is given to the term epigynous (144), and there are a few cases 

 where no positive distinction can be drawn between the epigynous and perigynous 

 flowers, or again between the perigynous and hypogynous flowers. 



141. When there are no petals, it is the insertion of the stamens that determines 

 the difference between the hypogynous, perigjiious, and epigynous flowers. 



142. When there are both petals and stamens, 



in hypogynous flowers, the petals and stamens are usually free from each other, 

 but sometimes they are combined at the base. In that case, if the petals are distinct 

 from each other, and the stamens are monadelphous, the petals are often said to be 

 inserted on or combined with the staminal tube ; if the corolla is gamopetalous and the 

 stamens distinct from each other, the latter are said to be inserted in the tube of the 

 corolla. 



in perigynous flowers, the stamens are usually inserted immediately within the 

 petals, or alternating with them on the edge of the disk, but occasionally much lower 

 down within the disk, or even on the imenlarged part of the receptacle. 



in epigynous flowers, when the petals are distinct, the stamens are usually inserted 

 as in perigynous flowers ; when the corolla is gamopetalous, the stamens are either free 

 and hjpogynous, or combined at the base with (inserted in) tlie tube of the corolla. 



143. When the receptacle is distinctly elongated below the ovary, it is often caUed 

 a gynobasis, gynophore, or sialic of the ovary. If the elongation takes place below the 

 stamens or below the petals, these stamens or petals are then said to be inserted on the 

 stalk of the ovary, and are occasionally, but falsely, described as epigynous. Eeally 

 epigynous stamens (^. e. when the filaments are combined with the ovary) are very rare, 

 unless the rest of the flower is epigynous. 



144. An epigynous dish is a name given either to the thickened summit of the ovary 

 in epigynous flowers, or very rarely to a real disk or enlargement of the receptacle 

 closing over the ovary. 



145. In the relative position of any two or more parts of the flower, whether in the 

 same or in difierent whorls, they are 



connivent, when nearer together at the summit than at the base. 



divergent, when further apart at the summit than at the base. 



coherent, when united together, but so slightly that they can be separated with 

 little or no laceration ; and one of the two coherent parts (usually the smallest or least 

 important) is said to be adherent to the other. Grrammatically speaking, these two 

 terms convey nearly the same meaning, but require a different form of phrase ; prac- 

 tically however it has been found more convenient to restrict cohesion to the union of 

 parts of the same whorl, and adhesion to the imion of parts of different whorls. 



connate, when so closely united that they cannot be separated without laceration. 



