350 



PLANT STUDIES 



the body of the sporangium (Fig. 311, ^), and was at first 

 not recognized as being a spore. 



These structures had also received names before they 

 were identified with the corresponding structures of the 

 lower groups. The megasporophyll was called a carpel, 

 the megasporangia ovules, and the megaspore an embryo- 

 sac, because the young embryo was observed to develop 

 within it (Fig. 310, em). 



The strobilus of megasporophylls, therefore, may be 

 called the carpellate strobilus or carpellate cone. As the 

 carpel enters into the organization of a structure known as 

 the pistil, to be described later, the cone is often called 

 the pistillate cone. As the staminate cone is sometimes 

 wrongly called a "male cone," so the carpellate cone is 

 wrongly called a "female cone," the 

 old idea being that the carpel with 

 its ovules represented the female sex 

 organ. 



The structure of the megaspo- 

 rangium, or ovule, must be known. 

 The main body is the nucellus (Figs. 

 311, c, 312, nc) ; this sends out from 

 near its base an outer membrane 

 (integument) which is distinct above 

 (Figs. 311, b, 312, i), covering the main 

 part of the nucellus and projecting 

 beyond its apex as a prominent neck. 



Fig. 311. Diagram of the -^ -^ i i • i + xi, 



carpel structures of pine, the passagc through which to the apex 

 showing the heavy scale of the uucellus is callcd the 7iiicropyle 



{A) which bears the //■<• t , ii , ,,\ /-rt- o-. -. \ m 



ovule (5), in which are ("little gate") (Fig. 311, «). Ccn- 

 seen the micropyie (a), trally placed within the body of the 



integument (ft), nucellus n • j.i • -i. 



(c), embryo-sac or mega- nUCClluS IS the COUSpiCUOUS CaVlty 



spore ((Z).— Moore. called the cmbryo-sac (Fig. 311, d), 



in reality the retained megaspore. 



The relations between integument, micropyie, nucellus, 



and embryo-sac should be kept clearly in mind. In the 



