78 THE GYNAECIUM 



filling the entire cavity with a fleshy, edible mass. In the Obolaria 

 (Fig. 232) it is laterally expanded to form a more or less complete false 

 lining to the ovarian cavity. In this position it may remain free or 

 become coherent, so that, as in this case, the entire face of the ovary 

 may appear to be ovuliferous. By a subsequent obliteration of a portion 

 of such an expanded placenta, the remaining portion may be seen to 

 assume an abnormal position, being occasionally confined to the midrib 

 itself. 



Ovules. — Number of Ovules. — As has already been pointed out, the 

 number of ovules is extremely variable and the proportion of them which 

 become fertilized is little less so. 



Position of Ovules. — The position of the ovules is to a great extent 

 determined by the nature of the placenta, as has already been explained. 

 It calls for a number of distinctive terms. The two rows of ovules 

 produced by the two carpellary margins do not always appear distinct, 

 but may be reduced, before or after fertilization, to one. 



Series of Ovules. — A vertical row of ovules is called a series, and ovules 

 are thus defined as being One-serialled, Two-serialled (Fig. 219), etc. 

 When there are many series, so that the number is not readily made out, 

 we simply say that they are Many-serialled (Fig. 227). 



Collateral Ovules. — Ovules placed side by side (Fig. 219) are called 

 Collateral. 



Crowded Ovules. — Sometimes no definite series can be made out, 

 owing to the crowding of many ovules into a small space, as in Obolaria 

 (Fig. 232). They are then said to be Crowded. 



Divergence of Ovules. — Collateral ovules, and, indeed, any o\'Tiles 

 standing together and deviating from a straight line, have a tendency 

 to turn their foramina away from one another. 



Direction of Ovules. — As to the directions, in relation to the ovary, 

 which ovules assume, they are Erect (Fig. 233) when standing erect 

 from the base; Suspended (Figs. 235 and 237) when occupying an 

 exactly opposite position; Horizontal (Fig. 234) when taking a direction 

 at right angles to the axis of the ovary; Ascending (Fig. 238) when 

 directed obliquely upward from some point intermediate between base 

 and apex; and Pendulous (Fig. 239) when directed obliquely downward 

 from such a point. When starting as an ascending ovule and afterward 

 drooping (Fig. 236) an ovule is Resupinate, or when as in Fig. 240, 

 Recurved-pendulous. 



Obscuring of the Position. — An ovule may have its direction obscured 

 by peculiarities of attachment. Thus, in Loxopterygium (Fig. 178), 



