130 



THE FLOWER 



most of thosp in the Pulse and Mint families, can be divided by one 

 and only one plane into two equal parts. 



257. The relation of the perianth and stamens to the pistil is ex- 

 pressed by the terms hiiiiogyninix (i.r. under the pistil), when they are 

 all free, that is, not adnate to pistil or united with each otlier, as in 

 Fig. 182. 



Perigi/iiiius (around the pistil), when adnate to each other, tliat 

 is, -when petals and stamens are inserled or borne on the calyx, \Yhether 



182 



_^dEi^^ 



188 



as in Cherry tlowcrs (Fig. IS'^) tliey are free from the pistil, or as in 

 Purslane and Hawthorn (Figs. 184, 185) they are also adnate below to 

 the ovary. 



Ej/igynoiis (on the ovary), when so adnate that all these parts appear 

 to arise from the very summit of the ovary, as in Fig. 186. The last 

 two terms are not very detinitely distinguished. 



258. Position of the parts of the flower. — The terms superior and 

 inferior, or tippn- ami Inityr, are also used to indicate the relative 

 position of the ]iarts of a flower in I'eference to the axis of inflores- 

 cence. An axillary flower stands between the bract or leaf which 

 subtends it and the axis or stem which bears this bract or leaf. This 

 is rep]'esented in sectional diagrams (as in Figs. IS", 188) by a trans- 

 verse line fijr the hract, and a small circle for the axis of inflorescence. 



