80 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



stamens, and one of carpels. The calyx consists of three petaloid 

 sepals, imbricated or twisted in the bud ; the corolla of three alter- 

 nating, usually smaller petals, also imbricated or twisted in prseflora- 

 tion. The stamens are three in number, superposed to the sepals ; or 

 else, through deduplication, each is replaced by a pair. 1 Each stamen 

 consists of a free hypogynous filament, and an extrorse two-celled 



Cabomba aquatica. 



Fig. 83. 

 Flower (f). 



Fig. 85. 

 Long. sect, of flower. 



anther of longitudinal dehiscence. The gynseceum normally con- 

 sists of three free carpels 2 superposed to the petals, each formed of a 

 one-celled ovary tapering above into a style which ends in a little 

 stigmatiferous head. Around the gynaeceum is a little papillose disk. 

 Each ovary contains from two to four descending anatropous ovules 

 inserted on its walls, with their micropyles upwards and outwards. 3 

 The fruit (fig. 86) consists of a few drupaceous carpels, within whose 

 thin mesocarp are one or two one-seeded stones. 4 The seed is sus- 

 pended anatropous, and contains within its coats a copious farinaceous 

 albumen. At its apex is seen another, relatively smaller, fleshy 

 albumen, surrounding a little embiyo with a short superior radicle, 



fig. 23; Anal, du Fruit, 46, 61, 62, 64.— 

 Tuep., in Diet. Sc. Nat., ii. t. 80.— DC, St/st., 

 ii. 36 ; Prodr., i. 112. — Spach, Suit, a Buffon, 

 vii. 161.— Endl., Gen., n. 5024.— B. H., Gen., 

 46, n. 1. — Nectris Scheeb., Gen., n. 610. — 

 Ntjtt., Gen. Arner., i. 230. 



1 There are hence often six stamens, as in fig. 

 84, or three, as in fig. 83, or only four or five, 

 deduplication of all the stamens not being con- 

 stant. 



2 Some flowers have only two; others have 

 four. 



3 They have been described by most authors 

 as orthotropous, and they are so sometimes, as 

 shown in fig. 85. But we have demonstrated 

 (in Adansonia, ix. 374) that this is only due to 

 arrest of development, and should be regarded as 

 exceptional. Normally the final direction of the 

 micropyle is superior, and Schleiden made no 

 mistake. 



4 These hardened parts of the endocarp have 

 often been described and figured as forming a 

 seed-coat. 



