292 LJUSSOWS WITB PLANTS 



be essentially hypogynous, rather than perigy- 

 nous. But there is no really good reason for 

 supposing that there is a receptacle -lining on the 

 calyx -tube; and since many related plants are 

 clearly perigynous, it might be inferred that the 

 apple flower is also perigynous. This conception 

 of the upward extension of the receptacle inside 

 the calyx -tube has been the dominant interpreta- 

 tion of the apple, in this country. 



347. If the receptacle extends upwards at all, 

 beyond the base of the ovary, why not suppose 

 that the entire flesh of the apple is thickened 

 receptacle, and that the calyx and stamens are 

 borne upon its rim? If the outer portion of the 

 apple is receptacle, then it is essentially a stem 

 structure. Fig. 297 shows a bract or minute leaf 

 on the side of an apple (at A). This monstrosity 

 is common. Since leaves are outgrowths of stems, 

 it would seem to follow that this tell-tale leaf 

 proves that the apple is receptacle, not calyx. 

 But leaves are often outgrowths of leaves, as every 

 observant gardener knows, for he has seen these 

 little bract- like structures push out from the petals 

 of flowers, from buds on the leaves of begonias 

 and other plants (see Fig. 398) . While the apple- 

 bract raises a presumption that the flesh of the 

 apple is derived from the stem (or receptacle), 

 it really proves nothing. However, from all the 



