126 



THE PISTIL. 



regarded as one cavity, divided into several compartments by these septa, as in 

 the Orange, which exhibits an ovarium of ten carpels. These compartments are 

 called cells ; and an ovary made up of many carpels is said to have so many cells, as, 

 for example, a four-celled ovarium (Fig. 242) . But it often- 

 times happens that the septum becomes imperfect, and thus 

 reduces the number of cells or compartments ; and should 

 this be the case with all the septa, a many-celled might 

 be reduced to a one-celled ovarium, as in the Poppy. So 

 far, then, a compound ovary consists of a whorl of carpels 

 and a number of cells and r-spta. Its style will also be 

 compounded of the midribs o' so many leaves, and have an 

 equal number of bundles of vascular tissue and lines of 

 conducting tissue. The stigma will be compound, and 



Fig. 240. Fig. 241. 



Fig. 240. Apocarpus ovary, in which each pistil is separate. A, situate within the rows of stamens 



on the flower ; B, detached 

 Fig. 241. A pyncarpous ovary, or an ovary in which the carpels are indissolubly united, o, ova- 



rium ; b, limb of the calyx, united to the side of the ovary ; c, the disk surmounting the ovary ; 



d, placentae ; e, ovules ; /, style ; g t stigma ; i, peduncle. 



represent the same number of leaves, or double the number should each half of the 

 stigma of each be separate ; or it may be that the styles and stigma of each carpel 

 remain distinct, and then there will be as many pistils as there are carpels. This 

 is an arrangement of the ovary found very frequently; but in the 

 Ranunculus or Crowfoot, the Strawberry, and many others ^Fig. 240), 

 the ovarium is still more complicated. The further complication is 

 due to the presence of two or more whorls of carpels instead of a single 

 whorl. We will consider an ovarium of two whorls only, since, if that 

 be understood, the reader will readijy comprehend the arrangement of 

 any number of whorls. When two whorls exist, one will be within the 

 other ; and thus the dorsal sutures of the inner will be opposed to the ventral sutures 

 of the outer whorl ; and in obedience to the law mentioned at page 116, the members 

 of the inner whorl will be alternate with, and not opposite to, the members of the 

 outer whorl. Thus a member of the inner whorl will be immediately in front of 

 the septum, or line of dehiscence, of two members of the outer whorl. This will also 

 apply to the styles and stigmas of the inner as opposed to those of the outer whorl. 



Eeference is frequently made to two circumstances connected with the arrangement 

 of the carpels t'tz., the position of the placenta and dissepiments relatively to the 

 stigma and other parts. As the placenta and stigma are both formed on the inner side 

 of the ventral suture (Fig. 244, c), the position of one may be determined by that of 



Fig. 242.-A 

 four-celled 

 ovarium. 



