406 ON THE FEMALE TLOWER AND FRUIT OF 



though in several of the specimens examined they were 

 greatly altered in appearance, from a coating of mucous 

 matter taken up and again deposited by the spirit in which 

 the specimens AA^ere preserved.-^ A slight difference, indeed, 

 seems to exist between the tissue of the apices of the styles 

 and the otlier parts of their surface ; hardly sufficient, how- 

 ever, to prove it to be stigma, though this is no doubt the 

 probable seat of that organ. 



The next point of importance in the female flower oiBqffle- 

 sia is the structure and gradual development of the ovula. 

 These, in the earhest state observed, consist of merely 

 conical or subcylindrical papillse, having a perfectly smooth 

 surface as well as uniform internal substance. 



The first perceptible change taking place in the papifia is 

 a slight contraction at its summit, the upper minute con- 

 tracted apex being the rudiment of the nucleus. Imme- 

 diately below this contracted portion a dilatation is soon 

 observable, which, gradually enlarging and becoming slightly 

 hollowed, forms a cup in which the nucleus, also propor- 

 tionally increased in size, is partly immersed. This cup, 

 the rudiment of the future integument, continues gradually 

 to enlarge, until it completely covers and extends consider- 

 ably beyond the nucleus, but Avithout cohering with it. If 

 a transverse section is raade near the slightly depressed 

 236] apex of this integument, an extremely minute perforation 

 or capillary channel, extending to the free apex of the in- 

 cluded nucleus, may be observed. 



This account of the gradual development of the ovulum 

 of Mafflesia, I believe, is in every essential point applicable to 

 Phsenogamous plants generally, except that here one coat 

 only is developed. It is, however, in some important points 

 different from the description given by M. Mirbel, who con- 

 siders the nucleus in its earliest state as included in the 

 integuments, which in the next stage open and dilate so as 

 to leave it entirely exposed ; they then, as he supposes, re- 

 main quiescent until the nucleus has considerably enlarged, 



1 See Mr. Bauer's representation of the hairs in this state, Tab. 23 (XXIII), 



fitfb. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 1.. 



