106 
THE FIRST BOOK OF BOTANY. 
pieces; and note also whether they are oblong, round, 
curved, straight, large or small, longer or shorter than 
the filaments, distinct or grown together. 
The question Pistil ? is also added to the schedule, 
and is to be answered in the same way as the ques¬ 
tions Perianth ? and Stamens ? First write the name 
of its parts underneath, and then find out, if you can, 
the number of carpels that compose the ovary. It is 
sometimes quite difficult to do this, but it is well al¬ 
ways to make the effort. When the number of car- 
Fig. 167. Fig. 168. 
pels can not be made out directly, count the styles, 
and, if these are grown smoothly together, then count 
the lobes of the stigma. It is very seldom that this 
part of the pistil is so coherent that the lines of union 
are invisible. You can often, in this way, find out 
the number of carpels in a pistil, when every other 
means fails. 
