

SECT. I. THE FLOWER. 1 1 7 



plant, in which case the plant is said to be Po- 

 lygamous. 



Sometimes the pistil is single' or solitary, that is Number. 

 if the flower produces but one, as in the Cherry ; 

 and sometimes it is multiplicate, that is when the 

 flower produces more than one, as in the Apple 

 and Pear. In the former case the flower is said 

 to be monogynous ; in the latter it is said to be 

 digynous, trigynous, or polygynous, according to 

 the number of pistils. 



The magnitude of the pistil is estimated by com- Magni- 

 parison with that of the stamen. It is said to be 

 long, if longer than the stamens ; and short, if 

 shorter than the stamens. If it rises above the 

 corolla it is said to be salient ; if it is contained 

 within the corolla it is said to be enclosed. Its 

 position, as has been already observed, is almost 

 universally central with regard to the other parts 

 of the flower, as in the Tulip ; but there are a few 

 cases of exception in which it is not so ; and in 

 which it is said to be eccentric, as in Monk's-hood, 

 but more particularly in Monoecious and Dioecious 

 plants. 



In polygynous flowers the pistils are said to be 

 crowded, that is growing in clusters, as in Dryas ; 

 or divergent, that is expanding at the summit, as 

 in the Herb Paris; or reflected, as in the Grasses; 

 or capitate, that is forming a globular bunch, as in 

 the Plane-tree. 



The individual pistil, like the individual stamen, 



