INTEODUCTION. 17 



divaricate, when placed end to end, so as to form one straight line. The 

 end of each antlier-cell placed nearest to the other cell is generally called its 

 apex or summit, and the other end its base, although in some works the 

 sense of these terms is reversed. 



Anthers have often on their connectivum or cells, appendages termed bris- 

 tles (setaj), spurs, crests, points, cf lands, etc., according to their appearance. 



Anthers have occasionally only one cell : this may take place either- when 

 the cells are closely contiguous at then- upper ends, and the partition sepa- 

 rating them is wautmg or disa)>pears, when the cells are said to be coujiuent ; 

 or by the abortion or total deficiency of one cell, when the anther is said to 

 be dimidiate. 



Anthers will open to let out the pollen, like capsules, in valves, pores, or 

 slits. 



Pollen is not always in the form of dust. The whole of the poUen of 

 each anther-ceU sometimes is collected into one or two httle wax-hke masses. 

 The terms used in describing the Ibrms of these masses, or of the grains of 

 pollen, are either in common use, or explained under other heads. 



§ 11. The Pistils. 



Pistils, although they may occasionally assume rather more than sta- 

 mens the appearance and colour of leaves, are still more dift'erent in shape 

 and structure. 



They are usually sessile. If stalked, then- stalk is called a podocarp. This 

 stalk, upon which each separate pistil is su|jported above the receptacle, 

 must not be conlbunded with the apparent stalk, upon which all the pistils 

 of a ilower are sometimes raised above the calyx and petals, which is usually 

 an elongation of the receptacle. (See below, p. 21.) 



They consist of three jsarts : 



1," the Ovary, or enlarged base, which includes a cavity or cell, con- 

 taining one or more small bodies caUed ovules. These are the earhest con- 

 dition of the future seeds. 



2, the Style, proceeding ftom the summit or near the summit of the 

 ovary, and supporting — 



3, the Stigma, which forms sometimes a small head at the point of 

 the style or top of the ovary, or is sometimes merely the point of the style 

 or a portion of its surface, distinguished by a looser texture, covered with 

 minute protuberances, called papihm. 



The style is often wanting, and the stigma is then sessile on the ovary, 

 but in the perfect pistil there is always at least one ovule in the ovary, and 

 some portion of stigmatic surface. Without these the pistil is imperfect, 

 and said to be barren, abortive, or rudimentary, according to the degree of 

 imperfection. 



The ovary being the essential part of the pistil, most of the terms relating 

 to the number, arrangement, etc., of the pistils, apply specially to the ovary. 

 In general the word ovary is used to designate all the ovaries ot a flower, 

 especially if they are at all united. When the word ovary is thus generally 

 used, each separate ovary is called a carpel. 



The number of carpels or ovaries in a flower is frequently reduced below 

 that of the parts of the other floral whorls, even in flowers otherwise sym- 

 n^etrical. The carpels or ovaries are more numerous than the petals, or 

 indefinite, in a small number only of genera. They are in that case either 

 arranged in a single whorl, or form a head or spike in the centre of the 

 flower. 



c 2 



