38 ELEMENTARY BOTANY 
not free, but unite with each other, as in the violet. When 
the gynecium of the violet is cut across, the ovary is seen to 
be a single chamber; but it is clear 
that three carpels have united to form 
it, for the ovules inside are arranged 
in three groups. : 
With the violet may be compared 
the hyacinth or tulip, which also has 
three carpels, but their mode of union 
on is different from that of the violet. 
oy o ee oe The carpels have not only united to 
VioLet (diagrammatic). each other, but their edges have bent 
C, gala sae eho > in, thus dividing the ovary into a three- 
ee divisioned chamber. (See Fig. 35.) 
This may be realized by taking three foliage leaves and 
sewing the edge of one to the edge of the second, the other 
edge of the second to the edge of the third, and the other 
edge of the third to the remaining 
edge of the first; then these edges 
which have been sewn together should 
be bent inwards until they touch each 
other in the middle, and then a three- 
divisioned chamber will be seen. 
It follows therefore, that an ovary 
may be formed of two, three, or more 
carpels, and still be only one-chambered. 
It depends entirely on whether the 
carpels have just united by their edges, 
or whether they have also bent in to 
form partitions; in the latter case, = ; 
there will be as many divisions of the me ee RR 
ovary as there are carpels. MALLow. ; 
An ovary may now be defined as a _*4 Style; sy, stigmas ; 
: ov, ovary. 
chamber formed by the union of the 
margins of one or more carpels. It may be one-, or more- 
chambered, according to the number of carpels which help to 
form it and the mode of their union with each other. 






