560 PHANEROGAMS. 



bear the stigmas (Fig. 383). Intermediate forms are also not uncommon between 

 the superior ovary of hypogynous and the inferior ovary of epigynous flowers ; the 

 ovary may, for example, be composed in its lower half of the receptacle, in its upper 

 part of the coherent carpels; transitional forms of this kind are found especially 

 among Saxifragacese. When the gynaeceum of a flower consists of a single ovary 

 only one fruit is formed, and the flower is said to be monocarpous (Figs. 383, 384), 

 in contradistinction to the polycarpous flowers, the gynseceum of which consists of 

 several isolated ovaries from which the same or a smaller number of fruits are 

 developed (Fig. 382). 



It will be easier to understand the diff'erent forms of the gynaeceum if the more 

 important ones are considered separately ; and for this purpose the following classi- 

 fication may be made : — 



I. Gynseceum Superior ; flower hypogynous or perigynous. 



A. Ovules attached to the carpels. 



a. Ovary monocarpellary ; 



(a) flower with one ovary, 



(jS) flower with two or more ovaries. 

 h. Ovary polycarpellary ; 



iy) ovary unilocular, 



(S) ovary multilocular. 



B. Ovules attached to the floral axis ; 



(e) ovule solitary, terminal, 

 {() ovules one or more, lateral. 



II. Gynseceum Inferior ; flower epigynous. 



C. Ovules attached to the carpels ; 



{r)) ovary unilocular, 

 {6) ovary multilocular ; 



D. Ovules attached to the floral axis ; 



(t) ovule solitary, terminal, 

 (k) ovules one or more, lateral. 



The Superior GyncEceum is constructed essentially of peculiar foliar organs, 

 the carpellary leaves or carpels. These usually produce the ovules, which generally 

 spring from the margins of the carpels, as in Fig. 385, but frequently also from the 

 whole inner surface, as in Fig. 357 i^, and Fig. 382 C The ovary is monocarpellary 

 (simple) when it consists of only a single carpel, the margins of which are coherent, 

 so that the mid-rib runs along its back, and the ovules, when they are marginal, 

 form a double row opposite to it. The inflexed margins of the carpellary leaf may 

 swell up into thick placentae (as in Fig. 386) and produce a larger number of rows 

 of ovules. The number of ovules is, on the other hand, not unfrequently reduced 

 to two (as in A mygdalus)^. In monocarpous flowers there is only one such car- 

 pellary leaf, as in Figs. 384, 385 ; in polycarpous flowers there may be two, three. 



' With reference to the occurrence of a single ovule standing in the axil of the carpel (as in 

 Rammaihs), see infra. 



