344 



CHARACTERS OP NATURAL SYSTEM. 



of the same species, and even in different flowers on the same 

 plant. Yet there are particular orders, in which the number of 

 stamens is very constant throughout, and is very characteristic 

 of them. The most important characters afforded by the stamens, 

 are drawn from their mode of origin from the lower part of 

 the flower. They may arise, like 

 the sepals and petals, from the disk, 

 beneath the ovary ; in this case they 

 are said to be hypogynous (this term 

 designating their origin from beneath 

 the female part of the flower). 

 A sectional view of a flower con- 

 structed upon this plan is shown in 

 Fig. 127; the sepals of the calyx, the 

 petals of the corolla, the stamens, and 

 the pistil, are there shown to be all 

 separately implanted on the disk. 

 But it may happen that the sepals 

 and stamens arise together, (these 

 parts being opposite in a regular 

 flower, whilst the petals alternate 

 with them so as not to prevent their 

 adhesion, . 463), and that they ad- 

 here for a part of their length, so that 

 the stamens appear to arise from the 

 calyx, and come away with it when 

 it is detached ; in this case, or when 

 they adhere in a similar manner to 

 the petals, they are said to be 

 perigynous, having their origin around 

 the female organ. A plan of such 

 a structure is shown in Fig. 128. 

 Lastly, when the calyx embraces the 

 ovarium, it also closely envelops the 



stamens, which are not freed from it except at the top of the 

 seed-vessel ; in this case, the stamens, appearing to arise from 

 the top of the ovarium, are said to be epigynous, being seated 



FIG. 128. 



FIG. 129. 



