4^0 



PHANEROGAMS. 



common, especially among Rosiflorae. In both these forms of flower the gynaiceum 

 is free, the receptacle taking no part in the formation of the wall of the ovary, 

 although this appears to be the case externally in some perigynous flowers, 

 as Pyrus and Rosa, The flower finally is epigynous when it possesses an actually 

 inferior ovary. This latter is distinguished from the ovary which is buried in the 

 receptacle of perigynous flowers by its wall being formed of the receptacle itself 

 hollowed out into the form of a cup or even of a long tube. The carpels, which 

 in the case of the free superior ovary form its whole wall, spring in the inferior ovary 



F'^- 3S3-— I'lower oi Elaaguusfusca 

 A longitudinal section, d disc ; B dia- 

 gram. 



Fig. 352. — Longitudinal section through the inferior avsxy oi Erynguan campestre; I sepals, c petals, y filament, gy style, 

 h disc, A' A" nucleus of the ovule, z' integument. 



(like the perianth and the androecium) from the margin of the hollow receptacle, 

 and only close up the cavity above, where they are prolonged into the style and 

 bear the stigmas (Fig. 352). Intermediate forms are also not uncommon between 

 the superior ovary of hypogynous and the inferior ovary of epigynous flowers ; the 

 ovary may, for example, be composed in its lower half of the receptacle, in its upper 

 part of the coherent carpels; transitional forms of this kind are found especially 

 among Saxifragaceae. 



It will be easier to understand the diff'erent forms of the gynaeceum if the more 

 important ones are considered separately ; and for this purpose the following classifi- 

 cation mav be made : — 



