Ovule 



( 150 ) 



Oxyanthus 



petals ; the other is the inferior ovary, as found in 

 Orchids, Amaryllids, Composites, etc., where it is 

 produced behind or below the showy sepals and 

 petals. An ovary may be compound, and contain 

 one or more cells or carpels, and the walls of these 

 carpels are known as placentae, and according to 

 the disposition of the ovules in relation to these, 

 their placentation is described as parietal, axile, or 

 free central. The common garden Pea presents 

 one of the simplest forms of ovary, and affords 

 ample evidence in support of the scientific con- 

 tention that the ovary, as well as other parts of a 

 flower, is but a metamorphosed leaf. 



OVULE. 



An ovule is a small body within the ovary, that 

 will, when fertilised by the contents of a pollen 

 tube that has grown down through the pistil from 

 the stigma, become a seed. The ovule is furnished 

 with nucleus, embryonic vesicle, and material that 

 will (generally) subsequently form a large part of 

 the seed body, and provide food for the tiny seed- 

 ling ere it can support itself. If this material 

 (albumen) is within the embryo sac, it is known as 

 the endosperm ; if outside it, the perisperm. Each 

 ovule is attached to the ovary by a tiny stalk 

 (funicle), and is said to be orthotropous, anatrop- 

 ous, or campylotropous, according as it is straight, 

 inverted, or curved. 



OXALIS. 



Description. A genus of about 250 species (ord. 

 Geraniaceie), comprising hardy annuals, hardy and 

 greenhouse herbaceous perennials, hardy and 

 greenhouse tubers, and greenhouse and stove 

 evergreens. 



Propagation. By seeds for the annuals, seeds 

 and division for the herbaceous, offsets for the 

 tuberous species, and cuttings for the evergreens. 



Soil. Sandy loam and peat or leaf soil for pot 

 plants ; fairly light garden soil for hardy forms. 



Other Cultural Points. Species that have 

 tuberous rootstocks need a long, dry period of 

 rest when growth is finished. Several, especially 

 corniculata rubra, are admirable for use in summer 

 bedding, either as edging 'or carpeting, but this 

 must be kept in bounds, or it will become a weed. 

 For conservatory decoration, cernua, the Bermuda 

 Buttercup, is well suited when grown in pans or 

 shallow pots and suspended from the roof, its deep 

 green leaves and yellow flowers, borne in umbels 

 on long scapes, hiding the pot and making an 

 effective display. 



Culture of Oxalises for Food. The tubers of 

 Deppei are occasionally used as a vegetable, being 

 prepared and boiled in rich stock, and then served 

 -with melted butter. The tubers are started in pots 

 early in March, and planted out 10" asunder about 

 the beginning of May. The soil should be light and 

 deep, and some decomposed manure should be 

 mixed with the second spit. The ground must be 

 kept hoed to keep down weeds and prevent waste 

 of food. Heavy waterings must be applied in dry 

 weather. The tuberous roots of the tall-growing 

 tuberosa are used as an article of food in South 

 America, when cooked, under the name of Oca, 

 this title also covering the smaller farinaceous 

 bulbs of crenata. 



Principal Species and Varieties : 

 Acetosella, 3", spr., wh. Barrelieri, l',spr.,st., yel- 

 articulata, 3", sum., r bowieana (see purpurata). 



mauve. 



carnosa, 6", aut., grh., 

 yel. 



cernua, 6", spr., grh., yel. 

 (st/ns. caprina and cou- 

 cinna). There is a 

 double var. 



coniioulata rubra, 6", 

 sum., hdy., yel., foli- 

 age pur. 



Deppei, 4", Mch., grh., 

 red. 



elegaus, 6", Jy., hdy., pur. 



enneaphylla,4", Je., hdy., 

 wh., ro. 



floribunda, 1', spr., grh.. 

 ro. (st/H. lasiandra of 

 K. Graham) ; alba and 

 cnerulescens are respec- 

 tively wh. and bluish 

 vars. 



hirta, 3", sum., grh. ,bl. to 

 red (xf/tt. rubella) ; ful- 



Other Species : 

 alba, 9", My., hdy., wh. 

 arenaria, 4", spr., grh., 



vio. pur. 



bifurca, 1', aut., grh., pk. 

 bipunctata (see corym- 



bosa). 

 brasilieusis, 3", Oct., grh., 



ro. 



canescens (see tubiflora). 

 caprina (see cernua) . 

 couchma (see ceruua). 

 corymbosa, 6", spr., grh., 



lil. (.'/*. bipunctata 



and urbica). 

 martiana. grh. , yel. 

 crenata, '!' , Sep., grh., yel. 

 Cummiugu, 3", Sep., grh., 



yel. 



digitata (see pentaphylla). 

 esculenta (nee tetraphy lla) . 

 fabsefolia, 4", Oct., grh., 



red. 

 flava, 6", Mch., grh., yel. 



(*>/>!. pectiuata). 

 graiidiflora (see variabilis 



var.). 

 imbricata, 4", aut., grh., 



ro. There is a double var. 

 iiicarnata, 6", My., pk. 



gida and rosacea are 



pur. and red vars. 

 lobata, 3", Oct., hdy., yel. 

 Ortgiesii, 1', sum., grh., 



yel. 

 pentaphylla. 6", Apr., 



Sep., grh., lil., yel. 



(xf/ii. digitata). 

 purpurata, 3", Oct., grh., 



pur. (*>/. bowieana). 

 rosea, 8"', spr., grh. (xi/n. 



racemosa) . 

 tetraphylla, 6", Je., grh., 



red (*//. esculenta). 

 valdiviana, 8", sum., grh., 



yel. streaked red. 

 variabilis, 3", Nov., grh., 



varying from the wh. 



alba (siftt. graiuliflora) 



to the red rubra (//. 



speciosa), and the crim. 



Simsii. 



lasiandra of B. Graham 



(see floribunda). 

 lasiandra of Zuecariui,!)' ' 



to 18", sum., hdy., crim. 

 lasiopetala, 0", Jy., grh., 



pk. 



macrostylis (see tubiflora) . 

 martiana (see corymbosa 



var.). 

 mauritiana,3", Sep., grh., 



ro. 



pectinata (see. flava). 

 Plumieri, 2', sum., st. , 



yel. 



pnlyphylla, 6", My., pur. 

 rubella (ee hirta). 

 Simsii ('< variabilis var.). 

 speciosa (nee variabilis 



var.). 



teiiera, 3", My., grh., yel. 

 tenuifolia, 6", Oct., grh., 



wh., red. 

 tubiflora, 1', Nov., grh.. 



pk. (SI/HS. caiiesteus and 



macrostylis). 

 urbica (tee corymbosa). 

 versicolor, 3", Feb., grh., 



crim. 

 violacea, 3", My., hdy., 



vio. 



OXERA. 



A genus (ord. Verbenaceas) producing an abund- 

 ance of handsome flowers. Propagation, by 

 cuttings in sandy soil, beneath a bell-glass, over 

 bottom beat. Soil, peat and loam, both fibrous, 

 and sand. 



Principal Species : 



pulchella, 10', sum., st. ev., wh. or creamy wh. 



OXYANTHUS. 



Stove evergreen shrubs (ord. Rubiacea;). Prop- 

 agation, by cuttings in spring in sandy peat, 

 beneath a bell-glass, over bottom heat. Soil, sandy 

 loam and fibrous peat. 



Principal Species : 

 tubiflorus, 3', Jy., wh. speciosus, and Gardenia 



(KI/IIS. hirsutus and tubiflora). 



versicolor, 3', Jy., wh. 



Oxeye (sec 



Oxeye Daisy (see Chrysanthemum Leucanthcniiim). 



Oxilp (see Primula elatior). 



Oxyacantha (see, Crat(e(jus~). 



