^ THE GTMNCECIUM. 151 



of this apparently single pistil, we shall find a number of cells, 

 which are in general equal to the number of consolidated car- 

 pels or pistils. If the ovary of the lily, for example, be cut 

 in this manner, what appears at first view to be a single pistil 

 will be found in reality to consist of three united ones. 



When the carpel and pistils of the gymnoecium are all distinct 

 the pistil is termed apocarpous, (a7t6 separate, and xapjtoj fruit,) 

 when they are united into one mass it is said to be syncarpous, 

 [avv together or united.) 

 ■ Let us now carefully examine the difierent parts of the pistils. 



TJie ovary is the inferior part of the carpel or pistil, and 

 contains the ovules within its cavity. It is either simple or 

 compound. Simple when it is unilocular or one-celled j com- 

 pound when it is bi-locular, tri-locular, &c. 



The partitions which divide the compound ovary into cells 

 are termed dissepiments (dissepio I separate) ; and each dissepi- 

 ment being formed of the united and contiguous walls of two 

 carpels, necessarily consists of two layers, one belonging to each 

 carpel, the ovary containing as many cells as there are carpels 

 in the compound pistil. 



The placenta is the line or ridge to which the ovules are 

 attached, and corresponds to the ventral suture or line formed 

 by the union of the margins of the carpellary leaves. 



The simple pistil has of course a one-celled ovary, but not 

 unfrequently the ovary of the compound pistil is also unilo- 

 cular. For the edges of the carpellary leaves are sometimes 

 folded inwardly, and form imperfect dissepiments which pro- 

 ject more or less into the cavity of the ovary but do not divide 

 it into cells. In this case the ovary is necessarily unilocular, 

 although it may be connected with a compound pistil. 



If we suppose a circle of three carpellary leaves with their 



