THE ANGIOSPERMAE 



1287 



B 



Fig. 1 21 8. — Rinnex crispits. A, Flowering shoot. B, Hermaphrodite 

 flowei in male stage with inconspicuous stigmas. C, Later stage 

 after pollen shedding, with stigmas beginning to elongate. 



3. Long Filament Type 



This type of mechanism is very common and occurs in plants belonging 

 to a number of widely separated families. It is the typical mechanism found 

 in the Gramineae (Fig. 1219), Cyperaceae and Juncaceae (see Chapter 

 XXX), though it is also adopted by members of the Euphorbiaceae, i.e., Mer- 

 curialis and Ricinus, by Callitriche, Myriophy/Iiun and Hippitris among water 

 plants and also by such genera as Plantago, Hiimidus and Cannabis. 



We can take Plantago as a common example (Fig. 1220). In P. major 

 the inflorescence is a racemose spike up to 30 cms. in length and bearing 

 a large number of hermaphrodite, actinomorphic flowers. The calyx con- 

 sists of four sepals diagonally arranged, green in colour and surrounding 

 a sympetalous corolla. This is represented by four acute teeth which are 

 at first erect, but become subsequently reflexed to expose the essential 

 organs. These consist of four stamens and a superior, bilocular ovary. The 



