472 Saunders .— A Reversionary Character 
adjacent solid carpels were also ovuliferous, as has been assumed to be the 
case in such plants as those figured by Hooker and Baillon, though ordinarily 
the median pair alone are fertile. In this way the massing of the ovules, 
hitherto a puzzling feature, now becomes intelligible. Owing to the thread¬ 
like character and close juxtaposition of the placentae, the impression is 
given that two placentae, superposed upon two ribs, are each crowned with 
some four or five rows of ovules, as depicted in the illustration referred to 
above (Fig. 48). 1 Presumably these placentae are placed on either side of 
the mid-line of each of these two ribs, as is characteristic in solid carpels. 
Both the Fumariaceae and Capparidaceae include some genera which 
show two solid and two valve carpels, and dehiscence after the manner of 
the typical Crucifer, but here the ovary remains unilocular, the replum being 
merely a frame—a condition rare in the Cruciferae, but characteristic of 
certain Papaveraceae (see above, p. 470). These features are well seen in 
species of Corydalis (Fumariaceae) and in Cleome (Capparidaceae). In both 
families, however, forms are also to be found which point to this type of 
gynoecium having resulted from consolidation and reduction precisely as in 
Papaveraceae and Cruciferae. In Capparis spinosa, L., instead of G4 (two 
hollow and two solid), we find G 16 (eight of each) ; and in Morisonia , 
another genus having a berry instead of a siliquiform fruit, G 8 (four of 
each). Also it seemed no-t impossible that these same processes might 
account for the great variation in number of the stigma lobes which is to be 
found in the Fumariaceae. In some forms there are two divaricate lobes 
placed over the placentae, in others (species of Corydalis) the style terminates 
in an erect plate-like structure with several small lappets, the number, 
though varying (4-6-8), being constant for any species (Figs. 50, 51). But 
though the vascular cord of the solid carpel sometimes appears to consist of 
three bundles ( Dicentra ), and the vascular strands of both valve and solid 
carpels pass up into the stigmatic plate, the increase in number of the 
vascular elements makes it difficult to determine any precise relation 
between the bundles and the lappets which are not themselves vascular. 
The Resedaceae, though having an appearance of greater uniformity 
than the families already considered, nevertheless present an equally 
interesting and instructive series as regards the construction of the 
gynoecium. The number of carpels is stated to vary from two to six. 
They may be joined partially or completely, or altogether free. In Reseda 
the valves usually terminate in points which alternate with the placentae 
and bear the stigmas. In R. odorata , L., however, according to Buchenau, 2 
the stigmas are placed midway between the valve points, i. e. they are over 
the placentae, whilst in the giant strain of this species commonly cultivated 
it is not unusual for stigmatic papillae to be developed in both positions. 
1 Bot. Mag., loc. cit. 
2 Bot. Zeit., 1853, Beitriige zur Morphologie von Reseda . 
