FLORAL MODIFICATIONS 



13 



R^.a.^. 



howevti. it may be seea by turning back 

 the epfcaix X or removing the calyx (Fig. 

 23) th:U Its point of insertion is upon the 

 stem Li 'low the torus (a), so that it can be 

 DO {)c. vt of the flower proper. The divisions 

 of tlio opicalyx are called Bracts, though 

 tb( i-'im is not restricted to this use, as 

 wil! be seen further on. 



THE MODIFICATIONS OF FLORAL STRUCTURE 



CLASSIFIED. 



The typical flower, reference here being 

 restricted to its highest forms, will obey 

 certain well defined laws of structure, as 

 regards the following characters: The 

 relative number and position of the parts 

 of different kinds or of different series; 

 the separation of each part from all 

 others of the same or of a different 

 kind or series; a similarity in form and 

 size of the parts composing any one series; 

 the characteristic forms and functions of 

 the parts of different kinds. For the 

 identification of the parts of such a flower 

 the illustrations and definitions already 

 given will prove ample for the begin uer. 

 But, unfortunately, such flowers are very 

 rare. The great majority of them deviate 

 from the type in one or more directions to 

 such a degree and in such variety as to 

 very frequently create difficulty in identi- 

 fying or circumscribing the several parts. 

 To fit the student for properly meeting 

 the diSiculties whicli so arises as well as 



for understanding botanical terminology, 

 it is necessary to specify and explain the 

 principal forms of variation and to estab- 

 lish such a classification of them as their 

 varied nature will permit. 



The several laws governing the typical 

 flower here referred to may be presented 

 as follows: 



LAW 1, 



or 



series are either of the same number or a 

 mult i pie of that nitmher In the ca'^p of the 

 gynaecium it is the carpels which ar» 

 counted as parts, whether developed each 



