H. C. Botanic Gardens, Calcutta, 



251 



Or the hypothesis may be resorted to, which assumes 

 such a degree of confluent growth of the vertex of a syn- 

 carpous ovarium, as shall give rise to a tube similar to that 

 described. 



In both these hypotheses the central columnar body is to 

 be considered as the style and stigma. 



Or it might be assumed, that the component parts of 

 the pistillum produce the placentas from their margins close 

 to the base, which placentae becoming confluent and produced 

 upwards free from any connection with the style, give rise to 

 the central column. 



Or lastly, the central columnar body may be considered as 

 a continuation of the placenta, and as the termination of the 

 axis; having no original connection with the carpel leaves. 

 In these two modes of explanation, the canal becomes the 

 style or analogous to it, and the central column a free stigma. 



The "disc" hypothesis, however plausible it might ap- 

 pear if Hippocrateaceae are taken into consideration, except 

 indeed as regards the point of attachment of their filaments, 

 seems to me contradicted by the general appearance of the 

 radiated part, which manifestly belongs to the female organ, 

 and equally manifestly forms part of the fruit. It would also 

 necessarily result from its adoption, which may to those who 

 favour De. Candolle's* hypothesis of the fruit of the Orange, 

 still appear tenable, that the two inner series of developments 

 viz. the teeth interposed between the filaments, and the 

 component parts of the disc, which may be assumed to be 

 of the same nature, would be in opposition, and moreover 

 that the direction of their development would be inverted. 



The second hypothesis, though perhaps not altogether 

 improbable, is not, 1 think, borne out by any appearances 

 during any stage of the development, and is, together with 

 the preceding, contradicted by the solidity and homogenous 

 structure of the column, in this light a style, which has 



* Lindley Introd, ed. 2. p. 105. 



