74 VEGETABLE ORGANOGRAPHY. 



can be so little explained in ordinary terms, that no par- 

 ticular name has been given to it, and the flowers where 

 this phenomenon exists are sometimes placed among 

 those with one, and at others among those with two 

 pistils. Several of the phenomena which the parts of the 

 pistil present, will only be intelligible when we examine 

 the structure of fruits. 



Section VI- 



Of the Torus and the Adhesions which it causes among 

 the parts of Flowers. 



The torus, or proper receptacle of flowers, appears to 

 be an expansion of the top of the pedicel, from which 

 arise the petals and stamens, and which may be consi- 

 dered as the base of all the male or corollary parts of 

 flowers. This base of the petals and stamens being 

 formed by the abortions or partial developments of these 

 organs, does not really deserve the name of organ ; but 

 we are obliged to describe it by such a name in order to 

 avoid much circumlocution. Turpin, who also admits 

 that it is formed by the bases of abortive stamens, has 

 described it under the name of Phycosteme, which it 

 would be very convenient to admit, if that of Torus 

 had not been proposed by Mr. Salisbury some years be- 

 fore. 



It is generally (perhaps always) devoid of stomata ex- 

 ternally, and tracheae internally ; it is coloured with 

 various tints, white, red, yellow or blue, but scarcely 

 ever green ; it does not decompose carbonic acid gas, and 

 does not become green when exposed to the light ; it 

 sometimes bears glands and hairs, but these are of a very 





