XXXll- OUTLINES OF BOTANY. 
own stigma. Very rarely the greater part of the styles, or the stigmas 
alone, are united, whilst the ovaries remain distinct. 
129. Synearpous flowers are said to have 
several styles, when the styles are free from the base. 
one style, with several branches, when the styles are connected at the 
base, but separate below the point where the stigmas or stigmatic surfaces 
commence. 
one simple style, with several stigmas, when united up to the point 
where the stigmas or stigmatic surfaces commence, and then separating. 
one simple style with a branched, lobed, toothed, notched, or entire 
stigma (as the case may be), when the stigmas also are more or less united. 
In many works, however, this precise nomenclature is not strictly adhered 
to, and considerable confusion is often the result. 
130. In general the number of styles, or branches of the style or stigma, 
is the same as that of the carpels, but sometimes that number is doubled, 
especially in the stigmas, and sometimes the stigmas are dichotomously or 
pinnately branched, or penicillate, that is, divided into a tuft of hair-like 
branches. All these variations sometimes make it a difficult task to deter- 
mine the number of carpels forming a compound ovary, but the point is of 
considerable importance in fixing the affinities of plants, and, by careful 
consideration, the real as well as the apparent number has now in most 
cases been agreed upon. 
131. The Placenta is the part of the inside of the ovary to which the 
ovules are attached, sometimes a mere point or line on the inner surface 
often more or less thickened or raised. Placentation is therefore the indi- 
cation of the part of the ovary to which the ovules are attached. 
132. Placentas are 
axile, when the ovules are attached to the axis or centre, that is, in 
plurilocular ovaries, when they are attached to the inner angle of each cell ; 
in unilocular simple ovaries, which have almost always an excentrical style 
or stigma, when the ovules are attached to the side of the ovary nearest to 
the style; in unilocular compound ovaries, when the ovules are attached 
to a central protuberance, column, or axis rising up from the base of the 
cavity. If this column does not reach the top of the cavity, the placenta 
is said to be free and central. 
parietal, when the ovules are attached to the inner surface of the 
cavity of a one-celled compound ovary. Parietal placentas are usually 
slightly thickened or raised lines, sometimes broad surfaces nearly covering 
the inner surface of the cavity, sometimes projecting far into the cavity, 
and constituting partial dissepiments, or even meeting in the centre, but 
without cohering there. In the latter case the distinction between the one- 
celled and the several-celled ovary sometimes almost disappears. 
133. Each Ovule (121), when fully formed, usually consists of a central 
mass or mucleus, enclosed in two bag-like coats, the outer one called primine, 
the inner one secundine. The chalaza is the point of the ovule at which 
the base of the nucleus is confluent with the coats. The foramen is a mi- 
nute aperture in the coats over the apex of the nucleus. 
134, Ovules are 
orthotropous or straight, when the chalaza coincides with the base 
(36) of the ovule, and the foramen is at the opposite extremity, the axis 
of the ovule being straight. 
campylotropous or ineurved, when the chalaza still coinciding with the 
