HIGHER PLANTS 



water. Most of them have root, stem, leaves and flowers, 

 which function very much as these parts do in typical land 

 plants (Fig. 58). 



^11611 cell' 



Whwoytil 

 pollen I0 ovule. 



ovarvj 



jjollen cell 

 ■at. ro|> 

 &ti"dTna 



stamen 



se|5al 



ovule (f^ 



jseJicel 



1 ^ 



Fig. 58. — Diagrams of i, the parts of a leaf 

 (SagiUaria) ; 2, a complete flower, cut in section to 

 show its parts, and the pollen cells and their path- 

 way to the ovules. 



A complete, or typical flower (Fig. 58) is made up of four 

 parts besides the stalk — stamens on which the fertilizing 

 pollen or male cells are produced; pistils which receive the 

 pollen cells and through which they pass down into the ovaries 

 where they fertilize the ovules or eggs; petals which provide 

 a colorful advertisement of these essential reproductive 

 organs; and sepals which protect and hold the other parts 

 together. In the differences of color and form and arrange- 

 ment of these four parts lies all of the beauty and variety of 

 flowers. 



The pistil is usually in the center of the flower. Its en- 

 larged basal part is the ovary containing the enlarged female 

 reproductive cells or ovules; its tip is the stigma. Stamens 

 usually encircle the pistil; a stamen consists of two parts — • 



67 



