OUTLINES OF BOTANY. XXXlll 
base of the ovule, the axis of the ovule is curved, bringing the foramen 
down more or less towards that base. 
anatropous or inverted, when the chalaza is at the apex of the ovule, 
and the foramen next to its base, the axis remaining straight. In this, one 
of the most frequent forms of the ovule, the chalaza is connected with the 
base by a cord, called the raphe, adhering to one side of the ovule, and 
becoming more or less incorporated with its coats, as the ovule enlarges 
into a seed. 
amphitropous or half-inverted, when the ovule being as it were at- 
tached laterally, the chalaza and foramen at opposite ends ofits straight or 
curved axis are about equally distant from the base or point of attachment. 
§ 12. The Receptacle and Relative Attachment of the Floral Whorls. 
135. The Receptacle or forus is the extremity of the peduncle (above 
the calyx), upon which the corolla, stamens, and ovary are inserted. It is 
sometimes little more than a mere point or minute hemisphere, but it is 
often also more or less elongated, thickened, or otherwise enlarged. It 
must not be confounded with the receptacle of inflorescence (74). 
136. A Disk, or disc, is a circular enlargement of the receptacle, usually 
in the form of a cup (cupular), of a flat disk or quoit, or of a cushion ( pul- 
vinate). It is either immediately at the base of the ovary within the 
stamens, or between the petals and stamens, or bears the petals or sta- 
mens or both on its margin, or is quite at the extremity of the recep- 
tacle, with the ovaries arranged in a ring round it or under it. 
137. The disk may be entire, or toothed or lobed, or divided into a 
number of parts, usually equal to or twice that of the stamens or carpels. 
When the parts of the disk are quite separate and short, they are often 
called glands. 
138. Nectaries, are either the disk, or small deformed petals, or abor- 
tive stamens, or appendages at the base of petals or stamens, or any small 
bodies within the flower which do not look like petals, stamens, or ova- 
ries. They were formerly supposed to supply bees with their honey, and 
the term is frequently to be met with in the older Floras, but is now de- 
servedly going out of use. 
189. When the disk bears the petals and stamens, it is frequently adhe- 
rent to, and apparently forms part of, the tube of the calyx, or it is adherent 
to, and apparently forms part of, the ovary, or of both calyx-tube and 
ovary. Hence the three following important distinctions in the relative in- 
sertion of the floral whorls. 
140. Petals or, as it is frequently expressed, flowers, are 
hypogynous (i.e. under the ovary), when they or the disk that bears 
them are entirely free both from the calyx and ovary. The ovary is then 
described as free or superior, the calyxas free or inferior, the petals as being 
inserted on the receptacle. 
perigynous (i.e. round the ovary), when the disk bearing the petalsis 
quite free from the ovary, but is more or less combined with the base of the 
ealyx-tube. The ovary is then still described as free or superior, even 
though the combined disk and calyx-tube may form a deep cup with the 
ovary lying in the bottom; the calyxis said to be free or iwferior, and the 
petals are described as inserted on the calyx. 
epigynous (i. €. upon the ovary), when the disk bearing the petals is 
combined both with the base of the calyx-tube and the base outside of the 
be. 
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