240 



PLANT LIFE. 



guishal)le into (i) an enlarged basal part, the ovularv,* con- 

 taining the o\'ules, surmounted Ijy (2) a slender jjarl of vari- 

 able length, the slvle, which is terminated by (3) a rough, 

 sticky, or branched part, the siigma. (See figs. 250, 258.) 



336. The stigma may take tlie form of a knob, a ridge, 

 a straight or wa\'y line, or be lobed or branched. However 

 compact, it is usually roughened by the jjrolongation of 

 its surface cells into rounded, pointed, or hairdike exten- 

 sions (figs. 248, 283), which fre(juently 

 secrete a sticky fluid. Jts purpose is 

 to secure the adhesion of the pollen 

 spores brought to it by various agents, 

 among the most important of which are 

 the wind and insects. 



337. The style may be tliick or 

 slender, long or short, branched or un- 

 branclied, hollow or solid. It is fre- 

 quently wanting, so that the stigma is 

 said to be sessile upon the ovulary. 



338. Simple and compound pistils. 

 fro. the°:«,l";^ c^ -^^'h^n scN-eral carpels are present in 



totLi'^-X ^^'^- o"e fl°^^-e'' t'^ey "«^' fo"" "^ »'^'"y 



'"SratST'tiJlSd^i^ sepai-ate su„i,le i.ustds as there are car- 



els. If numerous, the axis -will be 



peneti 



making its wav down the ^^ . 



style. Magnified 175 diam.— t'^' 



.uter strasXurger. enlarged or elongated to accommodate 



them. (See ^| 360.) Instead of forming separate pistils. 



'"This part w.l.s early callcil tlle ovary (a name wliich is still in i;eneral 

 use), meaning the organ which pioduces eggs, under the impression that 

 the ovules (= little eggs) were like the eggs of birds, an idea whieh was 

 further carried out in the name allnatuii given to the food stored in the 

 seed. {See ^11 403, 407. ) To avoid confusion with the true ovarN (' ;S8), 

 in which the real egg is produced (11 387), T here .suggest the name oz-u- 

 1,1 1\ — i.e., the organ wdlich jiroduces ovules. 'I'he wcu'd ovule, though as 

 had in etymology as ovary, is convenient, and does not lead to any con- 

 fusion. 



