yi6 



NATURAL HISTOliY OF PLANTS. 



disk forms a large glandular ring. Without this are inserted the 

 androceum and the perianth. The latter consists of four sepals in 

 most species, especially in the Lady's-mantle (//. i-^/^w/V L. — figs. 

 393, 394). These sepals are valvate in the bud ; and outside them 

 we find four alternating stipular bracts forming the calycle.' In 

 this species the androceum consists of four alternisepalous stamens, 

 each consisting of a free filament and an introrse anther, which 



Alchemilla vulgaris. 



Fio. 39t. 

 Longitudinal section of ilower. 



dehisces longitudinally by what finally becomes a single cleft. On 

 the filament is a transverse articulation, a little below the anther. 

 The gynajceum of this plant is represented by a single carpel in- 

 serted into the bottom of the receptacle, and superposed to one of 

 the stamens. It consists of a unilocular, shortly-stalked ovary, sur- 

 mounted by a style which is inserted towards the bottom of its 

 internal angle, and terminated, after traversing the orifice of the 

 receptacle, by a stiguiatifcrous head. Within the ovary, at a point 

 corresponding to the insertion of the style, is a parietal placenta, 

 bearing a descending incompletely anatropous ovule, who.se micro- 

 pyle looks upwards and outwards.' The fruit is an achene, sur- 

 rounded by the sac formed by the dried-up receptacle. The 

 exalijuminous seed contains a lleshy embryo with its radicle supe- 

 rior. The other species of this genus may differ from J. viih/dri-s in 

 the following respects. — The bracts of the calycle may he e(]ual in 



' L., Sprc, 17S. — 1)(.'., I'tudr , w. 2. 



- Wo caiuiot coimitler this w^wu uh it calyx, 

 initl the inner envelojiu iim n comlln, im liiu been 

 HUplwHed, for the leaves of tlie eulyile tlo not ap- 

 pear till after tlio true iK;riantli, wliicli Ih of ciily- 

 ciiial nature. 



• It liOM but one coat. It lian la-en ileHcribeil 



as Uiicciiiliiig, but its raphe, short tliou};!) it be, 

 <lcAcen(ls from the point uf inM<rtion ; and that 

 is the peculiarity of tleK<'endinK ovules. Tho 

 Hpi)arenlly aseending direction here ob<erved is 

 due to the sli^flilness of tlie aiiatiupy of tho 

 ovule. Only at llri.t, while it is still orthotro- 

 pous, is the ovule of Alchrmillii an-ending. 



