3^ NATUliAL niSTOEY OF PLANTS. 



Tliere -ire twenty stamens, ecbelonned in wliorls on the upper part of 

 tl,e insido oi' the receptacuhir tube. The highest five stamens are 

 ex-ictly superposed to the sepals ; then come five superposed to the 

 ,,e'tils and there are again below these a third whorl of ten, one on 

 either side of each of the latter set. These last may be absent, when 

 the androceum will consist of only ten pieces. The filament of each 



GiUenia trifoUata. 



Fig. 412. 

 Branch. 



stamen is at first reflexed on the wall of the tube, towards which is 

 turned the face of the anther ; butwhen the filament rises up, the anther 

 becomes introrse ; it has two cells and dehisces longitudinally. The 

 roceptacular tube is lined by a layer of glandular tissue ; in the 

 bottom of tliis is inserted the gyna^ceum, consisting of five free 

 alternipetalous carpels, each formed of a one-celled ovary, sur- 

 mounted by a terminal style, stigmatiferous at the apex. In the 

 internal angle of tlie ovary is a placenta, bearing two rows of ascend- 



