OF THE GERMEN. 209 



length and thickness, sometimes altogether wanting, 

 and when present serving merely to elevate the 

 third part, Stigma, c. This last is indispensable. Its 

 shape is various, either simple, scarcely more than a 

 point, or capitate, forming a little round head, or 

 variously lobed. Sometimes hollow, and gaping 

 more especially when the flower is in its highest 

 perfection ; very generally downy, and always more 

 or less moist with a peculiar viscid fluid, which in 

 some plants is so copious as to form a large drop, 

 though never big enough to fall to the ground. The 

 moisture is designed for the reception of the pollen, 

 which explodes on meeting with it; and hence 

 the seeds are rendered capable of ripening, which, 

 though in many plants fully formed, they would not 

 otherwise be. 



The Germen appears under a variety of shapes 

 and sizes. It is of great moment for botanical di- 

 stinctions to observe whether it be superior, that is, 

 above the bases of the calyx and corolla, as in the 

 Strawberry and Raspberry ; or inferior, below them, 

 as in the Apple and Pear. Very rarely indeed the 

 Germen is supposed to be betwixt the calyx and 

 corolla, of which Sanguisorba, Engl. Rot. t. 1312, 

 is reckoned by Linnaeus an example; but the co- 

 rolla there has really a tube, closely embracing the 

 Germen. In Adoxa^ t. 4,53, the calyx is half in- 

 ferior, the corolla superior. When in botanical 

 language we say germen superior, it is equivalent 



p 



