08 VEGETABLE ORGANOGRAPHY. 



angle ; this axis is sometimes so short that it is considered 

 absent, as in all the Crassulaceae, Aconitum, Aquilegia, 

 Illicium, &c. The place of the column is then vacant 

 in the centre of the verticil formed by the carpels. 

 Sometimes the axis is slightly prolonged, and the verticil 

 of carpels is, as it were, elevated, as takes place in 

 several Rutaceae. 



4th. The carpels may be disposed in a spike around 

 the central column, as is seen very clearly in the Tulip- 

 Tree, Magnolia, several of the Ranunculaceae, Myosurus, 

 Sec. These carpels sometimes present at their base little 

 scales, which may be considered as true carpellary 

 bracts : I have observed them in some Ranunculaceae. 

 The nature of these organs deserves the attention of 

 Naturalists. 



5th, If the column be very short or round instead of 

 being elongated, the carpels, instead of being in a spike 

 as in the preceding case, may be agglomerated into a 

 head more or less compact around this column, as is 

 seen in the Bramble, the Strawberry (where the column 

 is fleshy), the Anona, most kinds of Ranunculus, 

 Alisma, &c. 



6th. The carpels may be dispersed upon the walls of 

 the torus adherent to the calyx, as is seen in Rosa, the 

 only example perhaps of this conformation in the whole 

 vegetable kingdom. 



All the preceding dispositions suppose a plurality of 

 carpels, and this is in fact, in my opinion, the natural 

 and normal state of flowers ; but by abortions and cohe- 

 sions all may be reduced to a single one, either in reality 

 or in appearance. 



Each carpel may be considered as a little leaf folded 

 upon itself, and containing the germs which are developed 

 after fecundation. These germs bear the name of 

 Ovules, and the carpels which contain them the Ovary. 





