THE RECEPTACLE. 



CHAP. VIII. 



OF THE RECEPTACLE. 



THE Receptacle is the base, which connects the other six 

 parts of fructification. Its various appellations are as follow. 



I. A Proper Receptacle is that which belongs only to the 

 parts of a single fructification : and this is called... 1. A receptacle 

 of the fructification, when it is common to both flower and fruit ; 

 ,....2. A receptacle of the flower, when it is a base to which the 

 parts of the flower only are fastened, without the germen;...3. A 

 receptacle of the fruit, when it is a base for the fruit only) remote 

 from the receptacle of the flower '...4. A receptacle of the seeds, 

 when it is a base that fastens the seeds within the pericarpium. 



II. A Common Receptacle is that which connects many flo- 

 rets in such a manner, as that the taking away any of them would 

 cause an irregularity. Palea, a chaff, is a thin substance, spring- 

 ing from the receptacle to part the florets. - 



lit Umbella, an umbel, is a receptacle which, from a com- 

 mon centre, runs out into thread-shaped foot-stalks, of propor- 

 tionate lengths... It is called a simple umbel, when it has no 

 subdivisions ; a compound umbel, when each foot-stalk is termi- 

 nated by an umbellula, or little umbel ; and in this case the umbel 

 that bears the umbellula on its foot-stalks, is called a universal 

 umbel; and the umbellula which proceeds from the universal 

 umbel, a partial umbel. 



IV. Cyma, a cyme, is a receptacle that runs into long fastigi- 



