Feb. 1, 1870.] 



HARD WICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



31 



the Daisy is in reality 'a head of very small distinct 

 flowers arranged on a hollow cone-shaped receptacle 

 or seat. 



The flower-head of the Daisy is called a capituluni, 

 and the handsome conspicuous florets round the edge 

 of the head are called florets of the ray, whilst all 

 the little yellow florets inside of the ligulate, or ray 

 florets, are termed florets of the disk. The florets 

 of the ray expand, or are in blossom first, and are 

 very different in several respects from those] of 

 the disk. In the first place the ray-florets, owing to 

 the large one-sided corolla with which each is 

 provided, make the capituluni look like a single 

 flower. In the second place they have no stamens, 



Fig. 42 shows the half of a daisy flower-head. The dotted 

 u.a, line from A runs into the disk-florets, that from B into 

 .«- the ray .florets, and that from C into the receptacle. 



and are, in consequence, named unisexual ; but this 

 suppression, instead of being an unmitigated defect, 

 is a most admirable piece of economy, as will 

 presently appear. In the third place the upper part 

 of the pistil is without bristles or roughness of any 

 kind, because neither bristles nor similar appendages 



Fig. 43 shows a ligulate floret magnified. The line from D 

 runs into the style, where it forks, and that from E into 

 the ovary. On the stigmatic surface of each division of 

 the fork are some pollen- grains. 



are required. And, lastly, the arms or divisions of 

 the style are comparatively long, and, when fully 

 ready for performing their function, are spread out 

 as much as possible, and even twisted, as if de- 

 termined to lay siege to every direction in order to 

 catch pollen. Figures 42 and 43 illustrate these 

 remarks ; but the utility of the various parts, and the 

 movements they go through, cannot be understood 



before the action of a tubular hermaphrodite floret 

 is considered, and to such a floret the attention may 

 now be directed. 



Its smallness need hardly be more than alluded 

 to. Nearly all the organs require to be looked at 

 through a lens in order to be seen satisfactorily. 

 The corolla at the bottom might admit the point of 

 a small pin, but would do no more. A slight en- 

 largement commences just where the filaments cease 

 to adhere, and is continued, with a gradual increase^ 

 to the apex. The anthers, as is well known, are 

 what is called syngenesious, that is, joined by their 

 edges, and so form a tube, which fits tightly round 

 the upper part of the style; and their adjustment in 

 this way is exceedingly important, for, were they 

 placed otherwise, one can hardly conceive how the 

 scattering of the pollen could take place, because, 

 owing to the very reduced scale on which everything 

 is constructed, even the most determined efforts o 1 " 

 insects to render aid would be unavailing. But 

 this cohesion of the anthers, if looked at alone, 

 and not as part of a device, is robbed of the greater 

 portion of its beauty, and, as the style alone is 

 needed to give finish and completeness to this 

 design, an investigation of that organ will be 

 proceeded with at once. There is a striking 

 difference between the style of this tubular floret 

 and that of a ligulate floret already described. Here 

 the upper part of the style is very rough, being well 

 furnished with distinct protuberances, or bristles> 

 which are of great moment, inasmuch as the style 

 in its present position would not be of any use 



Fig. 44 shows a tubular hermaphrodite floret cut open for 

 the purpose of showing the internal arrangement. Oppo- 

 site the line running from F are the syngenesious anthers, 

 with the poUen undischarged^ and the bristly thickened 

 extremity of the style. 



without them, because no farina would be forth- 

 coming. As it is, however, there stands the 

 bristly - headed style, surrounded and embraced 

 by the anthers, and patiently waiting for these to 

 shed their pollen, in order that it may move on im . 

 mediately afterwards. In short, the conclusion of 

 that event, which almost seems to be steadily waited 



