THE ESSENTIAL ORGANS. 



CHAPTER VII. 



OF THE ESSENTIAL ORGANS. THE STAMENS. 



110. Within the safe inclosure of the floral envelopes stand 

 the essential organs the stamens and pistils^clearly distinguish- 

 able from the perianth by their more slight and delicate forms, 

 and from each other by various marks. In the complete flower 

 the ANDECECIUM next succeeds the corolla in the order of position, 

 being the third set, counting from the calyx. 



111. A perfect stamen consists of two parts the filament, 

 corresponding with the petiole of the typical leaf; and the unii;er, 

 answering to the blade. Within the cells of the anther the pollen 

 is produced, a substance essential to the fertility of the flower. 

 Hence the anther alone is the essential part of the stamen. 



80, Andrcecium and gyncecium of Frankenia (after Peyer). 81, Stamen (adnate) of Morn in?- glory. 

 82, Same enlarged, with pollen grains discharged; /, filament; a, a, anther, 2-lobed; c, top of the con 

 nectile. 83, Ranunculus. 84, Same, cut transversely. 85, Iris, cut transversely (extrorse). 86, Ama- 

 ryllis, versatile. 87, Larkspur, innate. 88, Same, cut. 



112. The filament (filum, a thread) is the stalk supporting 

 the anther at or near its top. It is ordinarily slender, yet sus- 

 taining itself with the anther in position. Sometimes it is capil- 

 lary, and pendulous with its weight, as in the Grasses. 



113. The anther is regularly an oblong body at the summit 

 of the filament, composed of two hollow parallel lobes joined to 

 each other and to the filament by the connective. In front of 

 the connectile, looking toward the pistil, there is usually a fur- 



