THE FLOWER AND INFLORESCENCE 81 
inserted on the pistil. In hypogynous and perigynous 
flowers the gynoecium is said to be SupERioR, and the 
other whorls InFERIon.. In epigynous flowers the 
gynoecium is inferior, and the other whorls superior. 
49, The Calyx.—The calyx usually consists of one 
whorl of from two to five green, leaf-like structures. 
But there may be two whorls as in the Strawberry, and 
the sepals may be coloured, e.g. Nasturtium, Salvia. If 
the sepals are joined, however slightly, the calyx is said 
to be GamMosEPALous. If free it is said to be Pony- 
SEPALOUS. The calyx assumes various shapes in dif- 
ferent Natural Orders, and hence the following terms 
are used to describe them :— 
TUBULAR (like a tube), fig. 47 (L.). 
URCEOLATE (or vase-shaped), fig. 47 (IIL). 
OBosE (fig. 47 (II.)). 
SPURRED (if sepals are prolonged backwards into a 
spur, e.g. Tropaeolum). 
SaccaTE (if there are four sepals, two’of which form 
a pouch, e.g. Wallflower (fig. 47 (IV.)). 
GALEATE, or hooded (e.g. Monkshood). 
CAMPANULATE, or bell-shaped. 
INFUNDIBULIFORM, or funnel-shaped. 
BILaBiATE (if it forms two lips). 
If the calyx falls off when the flower opens it is said 
to be Capucous, e.g. Poppy. If it falls off when flower 
withers, DEcrDuUoUS, e.g. Ranunculus, and if it remains 
until after fruit has ripened PERSISTENT, e.g. Tomato. 
Its chief function is to protect the flower while in the 
bud. But in many cases it takes on other functions. 
For example, in most Monocotyledons it has the same 
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