THE FLAX TRIBE. 135 



In the Mint Tribe it is especially to be remarked that 

 each carpel is divided into two lobes, so that, althouoh 

 there are four external partitions in the ovary, yet there 

 are only two carpels, which, in fact, correspond with the 

 two lobes of the style. That three other carpels are 

 undeveloped, is proved by certain cases in which they 

 are actually present, in addition to the two ordinary 

 ones ; in such instances the ovary consists of ten lobes, 

 and the style is divided into five little segments. 



This fact brings me back to the second subject, 

 which, I have already said, deserves particular notice 

 in the Flax ; namely, the ten cells of the ovary, and 

 the five styles. I need scarcely now repeat, that, 

 under all circumstances, the number of styles corres- 

 ponds with the number of carpels of which the pistil is 

 composed, or of the lobes of the stigma when the 

 styles are all consolidated, provided any lobes are 

 discoverable. As in the Mint Tribe, under ordinary 

 circumstances, there are four lobes of the ovary, and 

 two lobes of the stigma, it therefore follows, that each 

 carpel is two-lobed ; and I have just explained that 

 certain monstrous cases prove that such is really the 

 fact. Now suppose that two such lobes are consoli- 

 dated, we then have cai'pels each with two cells, as in 

 the Vervain Tribe, and this is only what we find in 

 the Flax. You will observe, however, that although 

 in the latter plant there are two cells to each carpel, 

 yet the dissepiment that divides them is imperfect {fig. 

 5. a a) -J so that, although, for the purpose of illustra- 

 tion, I have supposed that each carpel of the Flax may 

 be formed h\ the consolidation of two lobes, yet it is 



