STRUCTURE OF FLOWERS. 77 



the stamens adhere by their base to that portion of the 

 torus which adheres to the ovary, so that they have the 

 appearance of springing from its sides. 



In all these examples, which might be easily multi- 

 plied, there are evident proofs of this prolongation and 

 adhesion of the torus with the carpels or their support. 

 It is only in plants with a free ovary and numerous sta- 

 mens that we can expect to meet with any evidence of it. 



The second case, which is more frequently met with 

 than the preceding, is where the torus is adherent with 

 the base of the calyx, as it is from this portion of the 

 torus that the stamens and petals arise. These organs 

 seem to spring from the calyx, and the plants in which 

 this organization takes place are, for this reason, called 

 CalyctfloRjE ; as in this case the base of the stamens 

 is a little above that of the ovary, the name of Perigy- 

 nous has therefore been given to them. We may see 

 this in the Salicariac-, most Leguminosas, Rosaceae, &c. 

 The portion of the torus united to the calyx presents 

 the appearance of a membrane, either petaloid, indu- 

 rated, or glandular, and perceptibly differing from that 

 portion of the calyx which is not lined with it. 



The immediate consequence of this adhesion of the 

 torus with the calyx is, that the sepals necessarily 

 adhere together at their base, into a gamosepalous 

 calyx. Sometimes this adhesion is extended very far, as 

 in the Salicaria?, and then the petals and stamens arise 

 from near the top of the tube ; sometimes it is very 

 slight, and then they proceed from the base ; in the last 

 case, which is remarked in the Leguminosas and Tere- 

 binthaceae, it is sometimes difficult to perceive otherwise 

 than by analogy whether the stamens be hypogynous 

 or perigynous. There are cases where the portion of the 

 torus, united to the calyx, is thickened at the top, and 

 forms a kind of disc, from which the petals and stamens 



