18 INTEODUCTIOK. 



The terms monogynotis and polygynotis (with one or many pistils), are 

 vaguely used, applying sometimes to the whole pistil, sometimes to the car- 

 pels or ovaries alone, sometimes to the styles or stigmas only. \Miere a 

 more precise nomenclature is adopted, the flower is 



Tnonocarfellary, wlien there is a single simple carpel. 



6j-, tri-, etc., to poly-earpellary, when the ovary consists of two, three, 

 etc., or an indefinite number of carpels, whether separate or united. 



syncarpous, when the ovaries or carpels are imited into one compound 

 ovary. 



apocarpous, when the ovaries or carpels are all free and distinct. 

 A compound ovary is 



unilocular, or one-celled, when there are no partitions between the 

 ovules, or when these partitions do not meet so as to divide the ovary into 

 several cells. 



plurilocnlar, or several-celled, when completely divided into two or 

 more cells by partitions, called dissepiments, usually vertical, radiating from. 

 the centre or axi^ of the ovary to its ch'cumference. 



hi-, tri-, quadri-, etc., to multi-locular, according to the number of 

 these cells, two, three, four, etc., or many. 



In general the number of cells or of dissepiments, complete or partial, or 

 of rows of ovules, corresponds with that of the carpels of wliich the ovary 

 is composed. But sometimes each carpel is divided completely or partially 

 into two cells, or has twcf rows of ovules, so that the number of carpels ap- 

 pears double what it really is. Sometuues again the carpels are so com- 

 pletely combined as to form a single cell, with a single ovule, although it 

 reaUy consist of several carpels. But in these cases the ovary is usually 

 described as it appears, as well as such as it is theoretically supposed to be. 

 In apocarpous flowers the styles are usually free, each bearing its own 

 stigma. Very rarely the greater part of the styles, or the stigmas alone, are 

 united, whilst the carpels remaia distinct. 

 Syncarpous flowers are said to have 



several styles, when the styles are free from the base. 



one style, with several branches, when the styles are connected at the 

 base, but separate below the point where the stigmas or stigmatic surfaces 

 commence. 



one simple style, tvith several stigmas, when united up to the point 

 where the stigmas or stigmatic surfaces commence, and then separating. 



one simple style, with a branched, lohed, toothed, notched, or entire 

 stigma (as the case may be), when the stigmas also are more or less united. 

 In many works however this precise nomenclature is not strictly adhered 

 to, and considerable confusion is sometimes the result. 



In general the number of styles, or branches of the style or stigmas, is 

 the same as that of the carpels, but sometimes that number is doubled, 

 especially in the stigmas, and sometuues the stigmas are dichotomously 

 or pumately branched or peniciUate, that is, divided into a tuft of hair- 

 like branches. 



All these variations sometimes make it a difficult task to determine the 

 number of carpels forming a compound ovary, but the point is of consider- 

 able importance m fixing the affinities of plants, and, by careful considera- 

 tion the real as well as the apparent number has now in most cases been 

 agreed upon. 



An enth'e stigma is said to be punctiform when it appears like the mere 

 point of the style, capitate when globular hke the head of a pin. 



