Page 51 - Pharmacognosy-I (02-06-06-102)

The Ovary:
It is completely closed in all angiosperms where it is opened at the
top. The ovary may be simple, formed of one carpel, compound
formed of two or more carpels united together. Carpels may form
one compartment i.e. unilocular or two or more compartments i.e.
bi-, tri-, or multilocular. The walls separating the compartments are
called septa.
Insertion of Ovary:

According to the position of the ovary on the receptacle in
relation to other floral parts it is described as:

a- Superior: When the floral parts are inserted on the receptacle
below or on the same level as the ovary i.e. in hypogynous
and perigynous flowers.

b- Inferior: when the floral parts are inserted on the top of the
ovary i.e. in epigynous flowers.

Placentation:
It is the position of placenta in the ovary:

a- Marginal: In simple monocarpellary ovary when ovules are
arranged on fused margins of the carpel as in Leguminosae.

b- Parietal: In multicarpellary ovary when ovules are arranged
on fused margins of unilocular compound ovary as in
Papaveraceae.

c- Axile or central: ovules are arranged on the central axis of
multilocular ovary.

49