Flowers and Flower Clusters 



237 



140 



Flower spikes of the alder. The two clusters on the left are staminate 

 spikes ; on the right the mature pistillate spikes are shown. 



The parts of the flower. The apex of the flower stalk is called 

 the receptacle. It is often enlarged and serves as a place of attach- 



FiG. 141. Spike and flower of wheat {Triticum vulgare), showing two bracts, 

 lemma (at right) and palea (at left), inclosing three stamens and a pistil with 

 two plumose stigmas. At the base of the flower inside the lemma are twg 

 minute scales, the lodicules. 



