6 



DISTINCTION OF CALYX AND COROLLA. 



of which the under one resembles the keel of a ship, the upper 

 one rises, and the two side ones stand single*. 



There belongs also to the corolla a part called the nectarium, 

 which has been but newly distinguished, having been by former 

 botanists confounded with the petals. It is by Linnceus defined 

 to be " the part which bears the honey, and belongs to the 

 flower only." This part affords a wonderful variety in the man- 

 ner of its appearance. In some plants it is very large, as in the 

 Narcissus and Aquilegia ; in the former of which the cup, and 

 in the latter the horns, are nectaria : in others it is scarce disco- 

 verable, even with glasses. In some plants it is united with, 

 and makes part of the petals : in others it is detached from them. 

 Its shape and situation are also as various. Its use is not 

 known, unless the supposition of its secreting the honey may be 

 depended uponf. 



Between the calyx and corolla nature has put no absolute li- 

 mits ; as is plain from the Daphnis, in which plant they grow 

 together, and are united in the margin, like a leaf of the Buxus ; 

 but they may be commonly distinguished by their position in 

 respect of the stamina, the petal and stamina being ranged alter- 

 nately ; whereas the segments of the calyx and the stamina answer 

 to each other. That this is their natural situation, appears from the 

 complete flowers in the classes tetrandria* and pentandria^ : And 

 the use of applying this rule will be found in the instances of 

 Chenopodium, Urtica, and Parietaria ; where it decides, that 

 the single cover in those genera is a perianth ium, and that it is the 

 corolla that is wanting. Should we infer, where only one of the 

 two covers appears, that it is a corolla, because that is a more 

 principal part, there would be no certainty from such an infer- 



* The under petal is called the Carina, keel; the two side petals, the Al#:, 

 wings ; and the upper petal, Vexillum, banner. Editor. 



f There seems much confusion in this part : in fact, whatever is not calyx, corolla, 

 stamina, and pistiliurn, is nectary with botanists, whether it secretes honey, or 

 not. Editor. 



+ This is explained in Part II. Chap. VII. 



§ This is explained in Part I. Chap. VIII. 



