116 VEGETABLE ORGANOGRAPHY. 



of gland, tubercle, or appendage, which, placed in the 

 flower, did not seem to him to be an integrant part of 

 one of the ordinary floral organs ; since then, Botanists, 

 perceiving the very great difference of objects united 

 under this common designation, have endeavoured to 

 class them separately, and have given them particular 

 names, often more than was necessary. I shall here 

 examine the nectaries in a general manner, first, with 

 regard to themselves, and afterwards as concerns their 

 connexion with the organs which bear them. 



The excretory glands which are observed upon 

 flowers, deserve a common name, principally because, 

 whatever be their position, or the peculiar nature of the 

 juices of each plant, or the form, size, and texture of 

 these glands, they all secrete a more or less honey-like 

 juice, which presents a very similar nature in all known 

 plants, — a remarkable circumstance, which sufficiently 

 proves an analogy of structure in all the glands which 

 produce nectar. 



The nectaries, in regular flowers, may be found placed 

 on all the organs, but in a symmetrical manner. Their 

 most usual place is upon the torus. Sometimes they form 

 there distinct tubercles, the number of which is con- 

 nected with the parts of the flower ; for example, in 

 Parnassia, the Crassulaceas, &c. : they are situated upon 

 the opposite sides of the flower in the Cruciferas : some- 

 times the whole surface of the torus seems transformed 

 into a glandular and nectariferous surface ; for example, 

 in Cobcea. 



Sometimes they are placed symmetrically on the 

 ovary ; such are the three glands in the Hyacinth. 

 Elsewhere, the parts of the corolla, calyx, or perigone, 

 bear nectariferous glands, either on their inner surface, 

 as those at the base of the tepals of Fritillaria impe- 

 rialis, or on their outer surface, as in the calyx of the 



