THE CALYX AND COKOLLA. 275 



such composition ; and the calyx is said to be diphylhus, triphyllous, 

 tetraphyllous, pentapkgllous, hexaphyllous, &c, according as it is com- 

 posed of two, three, four, five, or six leaves or sepals respectively. 

 These terms imply that the leaves of the calyx are distinct, or nearly 

 so. When they are united into a cup or tube, the calyx was by the 

 earlier botanists incorrectly said to be monophyllous (literally one- 

 leaved) ; — a term which we continue to use, guarding, however, 

 against the erroneous idea which its etymology involves, and bearing 

 in mind that the older technical language in botany is founded upon 

 external appearance, and not the real structure, as we now under- 

 stand it. The correct term, calyx gcanophyllous, is now coming into 

 use : this literally expresses the true state of the case, and is equiva- 

 lent to the phrase sepals united ; the degree of coalescence being in- 

 dicated by adding " at the base," " to the middle," or " to the sum- 

 mit," as the case may be. Still, in botanical descriptions, it is usual 

 and ordinarily more convenient to regard the calyx as a whole, and 

 to express the degree of union or separation by the same terms as 

 those which designate the degree of division of the blade of a leaf 

 (281-287) : as, for example, Calyx five-toothed, when the sepals of 

 a pentaphyllous calyx are united almost to the top ; five-cleft, when 

 united to about the middle ; five-parted, when they are separate 

 almost to the base ; ixnd five-lobed, for any degree of division less 

 than five-parted, without reference to its particular extent. 



506. The united, portion of a gamophyllous calyx is called its 

 tube; the distinct portions of the sepals are termed the teeth, seg- 

 ments, or lobes, according to their length as compared with the tube ; 

 and the orifice or summit of the tube is named the throat. The 

 calyx is said to be entire, when the leaves of the calyx arc so com- 

 pletely confluent <hat the margin is continuous and even. The terms 

 regular and irregular (44G, 471) are applied to the calyx or corolla 

 separately, as well as to the. whole flower. The counterpart term to 

 calyx monophyllous or lnonosepnlous, is polyphyllous or polyscpaloiis 

 (viz. of many leaves or sepals). This is equivalent to the phrase 

 sepals distinct ; and does not mean, as the etymology might lead 

 one to suppose, that they ai*c unusually numerous. 



507. The Corolla has corresponding terms applied to its modifica- 

 tions. When its petals are distinct or unconnected, it is said to be 

 polypetaloits ; when united, at least at the base, monopetalous, or 

 more properly gamopetalous, as already explained. Various de- 

 grees of such union are shown in Fig. 4J0 ~ 4 GO. The united por- 



