154 ELEMENTS OF BOTANY 
cases or chambers, in which the ovules are formed, and 
which are generally quite closed. 
183. The Pistil.— The term pisti? (Latin for pestle) is 
applied to the closed structure which contains the ovules 
and is formed by the carpels of the 
angiosperms. This is a more general 
term than carpel, for it applies to organs 
composed of one or of several carpels. 
If one-carpeled, a pistil is said to be 
simple; if of two or 
more carpels, it is 
compound, 
The pistil often 
consists of the parts 
shown in Fig. 112, 
Fic. 110. Monadel- 
phous Stamens of Fie. 111. Diadelphous 
Mallow. Stamens of Sweet Pea. 
an enlarged hollow portion containing ovules and known 
as the ovary, a stalk-like style, and a knob 
or ridged expansion called the stigma. 
Not infrequently the style is wanting and 
the stigma is sesstle (seated) on the ovary. 
A flower may contain a large number 
stig-- 
sty---- 
of carpels in the form of simple pistils 
entirely separate from one another, as in 
the buttercup and the stonecrop (Fig. 98). 
When several carpels form a compound 
pistil, the manner and extent of the union Fie. 112. Parts 
of the Pistil. 
ov-f---- 
is various. The union generally forms the 
ov, ovary ; sty, style ; 
ovary, although this is sometimes developed pe 
= stig, stigma. 
in large part as a cuplike or tubular growth 
under the carpels. Sometimes the union is complete, so that 
the compound pistil has only one style and stigma. But 
frequently the styles remain separate, or the styles may be 
