STUDY OF ANOMALOUS FLOWEBS. 



25 



the latter case dioecious ($ $ ), as in "Willow. The term diclinous, 

 denoting either 8 or $ $ without distinction, is in common use. 



68. A neutral flower is a perianth or calyx only, having neither 

 stamens nor pistils. Such are the ray-flowers of many of the 

 Composite,, and of the cymes of Hydrangea, High-cranberry, 

 etc., which in cultivation may all become neutral, as in the 

 Snow-ball. 



69. Unsymmetrical flowers. The term symmetry, as used in 

 Botany, refers to number only. A flower becomes unsymmetri- 

 cal by the partial development of any set or circle in respect to 

 the number of its organs. The Mustard family, called the Cru- 

 cifers, afford good examples. 



70. The flowers of Mustard, Cress, etc., are understood to be 4-merous (y). The sepals 

 are four, petals four, but the stamens are six and the styles but two. The stamens are 

 arranged in two circles, having two of those in the outer circle suppressed or reduced to 

 mere glands. Two of the carpels are also suppressed (429). In the Mint family and the 

 Figworts one or three of the stamens are generally abortive. Here, while the flowers are 

 ^/, the stamens are four in some species and only two in others. The missing stamens, 

 however, often appear in the guise of slender processes the rudiments of stamens- 

 proving in an interesting manner the natural tendency to symmetry. 



71. In the j/ flowers of Poppy, the sepals are but two : in y Spring-beauty they are but 

 two ; in both cases too few for symmetry. In Larkspur (26) the $' flowers have but four 

 petals ; and in Monk's-hood (29), also ^', the petals are apparently but two, strangely de- 

 formed bodies. A careful inspection, however, generally reveals the other three, very 

 minute, in their proper places, as displayed in the cut. 



72. " Organs opposite" is a condition much less frequent than 

 " organs alternate," but is highly interesting, as being sometimes 

 characteristic of whole families. Thus in the Primrose, Thrift, 

 and Buckthorn families, the stamens always stand opposite to 

 the petals ! 



73. How happens this ? Among the Primworts this question 

 is solved in the flowers of Lysimachia and Samolus, where we 



Dieifframs. 22, Flower of Samolns, showing the rudimentary stamens alternating with the perfect. 

 Z5, Flower of a Labiate plant, showing the place of the deficient stamen. 24, Flower of Asarum fhre 

 sepals, twelve stamens, etc. 25, Flower of Saxifrage two pistils, tn stamens, etc. 



