634 Handbook of Nature-Study 



center A large sunflower that has only partially blossomed is also 

 needed for taking apart to show the arrangement of this big flower-family. 

 Take a bud from the center, a floret showing anther-tube and another 

 showing the curled pair of stigmas, and a ray or banner-flower. (See 

 Fig. p. 63 2). Each pupil should be furnished with these four florets; and 

 after they have studied them, show them the other half of the sunflower, 

 with each floret in place. After this preliminary study, let them observe 

 the blossoming sunflower for several consecutive da>s. 



Observations i . A little flower which is part of a big flower-family is 

 called a floret. You have before you three florets of a sunflower and a 

 banner-flower. Study first the bud. Of how many parts is it composed ? 

 What will the lower, white part develop into? Can you see two little 

 white points standing up from it on each side of the bud ? Note the shape 

 and color of the unopened floret. Note that there is a narrow, stiff, leaf- 

 like bract, which at its base clasps the young seed, while its pointed tip 

 bends protectingly over the top of the bud. 



2 . Take an open floret with the long, dark brown tube projecting from 

 it. Note that the young seed is somewhat larger than in the bud, and 

 that it still has its earlike projections at the top. Describe the shape of 

 the open corolla. Look at the brown tube with a lens. How many sides 

 has it ? How many little points projecting at the top and bottom on each 

 side of the tube? How does the tube look at the tip, through a lens? 

 Can you see the pollen bursting out? Tf so, how does it look? Do you 

 think that there is just one tubular anther, or do you think several 

 anthers are joined together to make this tube? Open the corolla-tube 

 carefully, and see if you can answer this last question. Open the anther- 

 tube, and see if you can find the pistil with its stigmas. 



3. Take a floret with the two yellow horns of the stigma projecting. 

 Where is the brown anther-tube now? Is it as long as in the floret you 

 have just studied ? What has happened to it ? What did the stigmas do 

 to the pollen in the anther-tube ? How do the two parts or lobes of the 

 stigma look when they first project? How later? 



4. Make a banner-flower. How many parts are there to it? How 

 does the seedlike portion of the blossom look? Do you think it will ever 

 be a good seed ? Describe the corolla of this flower. How much larger is 

 it than the corolla of the florets? Has the banner-flower any pistil or 

 stamens? Of what use is the banner-flower to the sunflower family? Do 

 you think that we would plant sunflowers in our gardens for their beauty 

 if they had no banner-flowers ? 



5. After studying the separate flowers, study a sunflower in blossom, 

 and note the following: Where are the banner-flowers placed? How 

 many rows are there ? How are they set so that their banners make the 

 sunflower look like the sun? Do you see why the central portion of the 

 sunflower is called the disk, and the banner-flowers are called the rays 

 in imitation of the sun? 



6. Next to the banner-flowers, what sort of florets appear? How 

 many rows are there? What kind form the next circle, and in how many 

 rows? What stages of the florets do you find forming the inner circle, 

 and how many row^s ? What do you find at the center of the flower-head ? 

 Note the beautiful pattern in which the buds are arranged. Can you see 

 the separate buds at the very center of the sunflower? If not, why? 



