APETAL^— CUPULIFER^ 



ovary. The flower is therefore epigynous. The inferior ovary 

 is two-chambered, and is surmounted by two long purplish-red 

 thread-like stigmas (sg) ; thus the gynaecium consists of two 



Fig. 135. — Two carpellary 

 flowers of Hazel in the 

 axil of a bract (^r). 



Fig. 136. — Diagram of ditto. 



carpels, and is syncarpous. The ovules do not develop until 

 after the pollination of the stigma (fig. 137); consequently it is 

 useless to look for ovules before pollination. Each chamber 

 of the ovary (ov) then contains one ovule (o). At the 

 base of each flower {i.e. below the 

 insertion of the ovary) there is a 

 little cup-like envelope (dr.i) — an 

 involucre. It is well to note that .y^' 

 this is not a calyx or a perianth ; oy 

 it is a collection of bracts.* 



Fruit. — After pollination the 

 ovules are produced, but, as a 

 rule, only one ovule in an ovary 

 develops fully so as to form a 

 seed. The fruit (fig. 138) is a 

 nut containing the one seed. The 

 involucre originally investing the 

 base of the ovary grows vigorously and forms the green 

 cup (fig. 139, cp) round the fruit. Seed. — The kernel of 

 the nut is the seed ; it has a thin papery testa (ts), but 

 possesses no endosperm. The main mass of the seed is 



* It is impossible to explain in this book the exact method in which this 

 involucre is formed ; but in reality it represents three joined bracts which 

 are also prophylls. The diagram 136 explains the nature of the cupule 

 and the inflorescence in the axil of each bract. 



Fig. 137. — Vertical section of re- 

 cently pollinated gynaficium of Hazel. 



Fig. 138. — Vertical section of nut of 

 Hazel. 



