SUPPRESSION OR ABORTION OF PARTS. 



261 



413 



412 



414 



482. In some flowers, moreover, as in the Lizard's-tail (Fig. 412), 

 both the calyx and the corolla are entirely wanting, and the blossom 

 is achlamydeous, i. e. destitute of any perianth 

 or floral envelopes Avhatever. Having the es- 

 sential organs, viz. the stamens and pistils, how- 

 ever, this flower also is perfect {hermaphrodite, 

 or bisexual), although incomplete. 



483. The abortion of all 

 the stamens or all the pis- 

 tils of a flower is common 

 enough, as well in floAvers that have as in 

 those that have not complete floral envelopes ; 

 but whenever either of these essential organs 

 are abortive or wanting in some blossoms, they 

 are present in others of the same species, 

 either on the same or on different individuals. 

 Flowers of this kind having stamens only or 

 pistils only are said to be separated, diclinous, 

 or unisexual. And the flower which has the 

 stamens but no pistils, or only imperfect ones, is said to be staminate, 

 sterile, or male ; while 

 that jirovided with 

 pistils, but with no 

 stamens, or only im- 

 perfect ones, is pis- 

 tillate, fertile, or fe- 

 male. Not to multi- 

 ply examples, in Snii- 

 lax and in Menisper- 

 mum (Fig. 413, 414) 

 we have good instan- 

 ces of separated floAv- 

 ers in which the abor- 

 tion is confined to the 

 stamens or the pistils, 

 the floral envelopes 

 being present and 



FIG. 412. Flower of Lizard's-tail (Saururus cernuus), magnified. 



FIG. 413. A staminate flower of Menispermuiu or MoonseeJ. 414. A pistillate flower of 

 the same. The latter lias six abortive stamens : the former, mere vestiges of pistils. 



FIG 415. A catkin of staminate flowers of Sali-x alba. 416. A single staminate flower de- 

 tached and enlarged (the bract turned from the eye). 417. A pistillate catkin of the same 

 species. 418 A detached pistillate flower, magnified. 



