xiv OUTLINES OF BOTANY. 



syncarpous, when the carpels or their ovaries are more or less united into one oom- 

 pound ovary. 



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



126. A compound ovary is 



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

 partitions do not meet in the centre so as to divide the cavity into several cells. 



plurilocular or several-celled, when completely divided into two or more cells by partitions 

 called dissepiments (septa), usually vertical and radiating from the centre or axis of the ovary 

 to its circumference. 



M-, tri-, etc., to vwlti-locular, according to the number of these cells, two, three, etc., 

 or many. 



127. In general the number of cells or of dissepiments, complete or partial, or of rows of 

 ovules, corresponds with that of the carpels, of which the pistil is composed. But sometimes 

 each carpel is divided completely or partially into two cells, or has two rows of ovules, so that 

 the number of carpels appears double what it really is. Sometimes again the carpels are so 

 completely combined and reduced as to form a single cell, with a single ovule, although it really 

 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. 



128. In apocarpous pistils 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 ovaries remain 

 distinct. 



129. Syncarpous flowers are said to have 



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



one style, mth several tranches, when the styles are connected at the base, but separate below 

 the point where the stigmas or stigmatic surfaces commence. 



one simple style, with several stigmas, when united up to the point where the stigmas or 

 stigmatic surfaces commence, and then separating. 



one simple style, with a branched, lobed, 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 often the result. 



130. In general the number of styles, or branches of the style or stigma, is the same as that 

 of the carpels, but sometimes that number is doubled, especially in the stigmas, and sometimes 

 the stigmas are dichotomously or pinnately branched, or penicillate, that is, divided into a tuft 

 of hair-like branches. All these variations sometimes make it a difficult task to determine the 

 number ef carpels forming a compound ovary, but the point is of considerable importance in 

 fixing the affinities of plants, and by careful consideration, the real as well as the apparent 

 number has now in most cases been agreed upon. 



131. The Placenta is the part of the inside of the ovary to which the ovules are attached, 

 sometimes a mere point or a line on the inner surface, often more or less thickened or raised. 

 Placentation is therefore the indication of the part of the ovary to which the ovules are attached. 



132. Placentas are 



axile, when the ovules are attached to the axis or centre, that is, in plurilocular ovaries, 

 when they are attached to the inner angle of each cell ; in unilocular simplepvaries, which have 

 almost always an excentrical style or stigma, when the ovules are attached to the side of the 

 ovary nearest to the style ; in unilocular compound ovaries, when the ovaries are attached to a 

 central protuberance, column, or axis rising up from the base of the cavity. If this column 

 does not reach the top of the cavity, the placenta is said to be free and central. 



parietal, when the ovules are attached to the inner surface of the cavity of a one- 

 celled compound ovary. Parietal placentas are usually slightly thickened or raised lines, 

 sometimes broad surfaces nearly covering the inner surface of the cavity, sometimes projecting 

 far into the cavity, and constituting partial dissepiments, or even meeting in the centre, but 

 without cohering there. In the latter case the distinction between the one-celled and the 

 several-celled ovary sometimes almost disappears. 



133. Each Ovule (121), when fully formed, usually consists of a central mass or nucleus 

 enclosed m two bag-like coats, the outer one called primine, the inner one secundine. The 

 chalaza is the point of the ovule at which the base of the nucleus is confluent with the coats 

 The foramen is a minute aperture in the coats over the apex of the nucleus. 



184. Ovules are 



orthotropous or straight, when the ohalaza coincides with the base (36) of the ovule and 

 the foramen is at the opposite extremity, the axis of the ovule being straight. ' 



campylotropous or incwrved, when the ehalaza still coinciding with the base of the ovule 

 the axis of the ovule is curved, bringing the foramen more or less towards that base ' 



anatropous or inverted, when the ohalaza is at the apex of the ovule, and the foramen next to 

 Its base, the axis remaining straight. In this, one of the most frequent forms of the ovule the 

 ohalaza is connected with the base by a cord, called the raphe, adhering to one side of the 

 ovule, and becoming more or less incorporated with its coats, as the ovule enlarges into a seed 



amphitropous, or half-inverted, when the ovule being as it were attached laterally the 

 ohalaza and foramen at opposite ends of its straight or curved axis are about equally distant 

 from the base or point of attachment, i J '» » 



