SECT. III. THE RECEPTACLE. 133 



there are cases in which a single envelope occurs in 

 all the three capacities at once of calyx, corolla, and 

 the receptacle of the stamens, as in the genus Poly- 

 gonum ; in which Mr. Salisbury, indeed, maintains 

 that the stamens are not at all inserted in the involu- 

 rum, that is the single envelope ; though it is plain, 

 upon the slightest inspection, that they are incorpo- 

 rated with it by the whole extent of their lower half, 

 from which they cannot be detached but by force. 



From this it follows that the receptacle of the 

 corolla and stamens is not always the same with the 

 receptacle of the pistil or ovary, as may be also 

 rendered evident by the inspection of a flower of the 

 genus Epilobium or Agrimonia. In the former the 

 ovary is inferior, the calyx being inserted upon its 

 summit, and the corolla and stamens upon the base 

 of the calyx, which is deciduous. In the latter the 

 ovary is superior with regard to the calyx, being in- 

 serted in the bottom of the cup, or if you will, in 

 the receptacle which lines the bottom of it, and in- 

 corporated into its substance ; and the corolla and 

 stamens being inserted in a fleshy and glandular 

 sort of receptacle originating in the inner surface 

 of the calyx at a point superior to the ovary, and 

 closing the mouth of the calyx, but perforated by 

 the styles. 



Hence it follows also that the receptacle some- 

 times constitutes a part of the flower, and sometimes 

 not. If it forms a part of the calyx, or is contained 

 within the calyx, as in Rubus ^nd Agrimonici) it 



