44 STRUCTURAL BOTANY. 



inferior y that is, apparently placed below the flower, as in the 

 Currant (52). 



124. The number of the pistils is by no means confined to the 

 radical of the flower. They may be increased by multiples, 

 becoming a spiral on a lengthened receptacle, as in Tulip-tree, 

 or still remaining a circle, as in Poppy. On the other hand, they 

 may be reduced in number often to one, as in Cherry and Pea. 

 Certain terms are. employed to denote the number of pistils in 

 the flower, such as monogynous, with one pistil ; triyynous, with 

 three ; poly yy nous, with many, etc. 



125. The simple pistil may usually be known from the 

 compound, by its one-sided forms having two sides similar and 



two dissimilar. If the pistils appear distinct, they are 

 all simple, never being united into more than one set, 

 as the stamens often are. The parts of a simple pistil 

 are three the ovary (o, 113) at base, the stigma (s) 

 at the summit, and the style (sty) intervening. Like 



'd 



114 



115 



116 



113 Pistil of Tobacfo. 114, Pistil, stamens, and calyx of Azalea. 115. Trillium stigmas W)and autl'ert 

 () nearly sessile. 116, Pistils of Rue Anemone (A. thaJirtroidts) stigmas sessile. 



ihe filament, the style is not essential ; and when it is wanting, 

 the stigma is sessile upon the ovary, as in Anemone (116). In 

 order to understand the relation of these parts, we must needs 

 first study 



126. The morphology of the pistil. As before stated, 

 the pistil consists of a modified leaf called a carpel (xap-roj, 

 fruit), or carpellary leaf. This leaf is folded together toward 

 the axis, so that the upper surface becomes the inner, while tha 



