335 



Common Calyx inferior, containing \n\xi\evons Jlorets, seated 

 on a common receptacle. It contracts after flowering, but 

 becomes reflexed, in general, when the seeds are ripe. It 

 is either simple, consisting of a single row of scales en- 

 compassing the florets ; or imbricated, when the nume- 

 rous scales lie one over another, the outer ones being 

 gradually smaller; or double, when one row of equal 

 scales, united at the base, surrounds the florets, and is 

 accompanied by a much smaller external set of scales at 

 the bottom, often of a very different texture, habit, or 

 duration from the inner and larger ones. 



Compound Floxijer consisting of various descriptions of j?o- 

 rets, each monopetalous, very rarely wanting the corolla 

 entirely, but various as to stamens, pistil, or seed. 



1. Ligidate Florets, tubular at the base ; ligulate, or strap- 

 shaped, and unilateral, in the limb ; furnished with both 

 stamens and pistil, or only with the latter, in a more or 

 less perfect state. 



2. Tubular Florets, cylindrical, with a regular equal limb, 

 almost invai'iably 5-cleft; furnished generally with sta- 

 mens and pistil, and usually producing perfect seed. 



3. Neuter Florets, funnel-shaped, spreading upwards, with- 

 out stamens or style, mostly irregular, entirely inefficient. 



Nectary altogether wanting, the honey lodged in each flo- 

 ret being, apparently, secreted by the tube of its corolla. 



Stamens 5, very rarely or accidentally 4 only ; Jilaments ca- 

 pillary, from the mouth of the tube of each floret, equal, 

 sometimes irritable. Anthers vertical, linear-oblong, 

 united laterally into a cylinder, very rarely separate, per- 

 manent. 



Germen, with respect to its floret, inferior, simple, often 

 crowned with a partial calyx, which becomes the croxson, 

 border, or do'oOJi of the seed. Style solitary, thread-shaped, 

 about the length of the corolla. Stigma simple, or cloven, 

 sometimes thickened, and in that case less perfect, or to- 

 tally inefficient. 



Seed-vessel none, the commo7i calyx serving to shelter the 

 seeds till ripe, and then spreading widely, especially in 

 dry weather, to let them escape. 



Seed one to each floret, sometimes a mere rudiment ; when 

 perfect oblong, or obovate, angular or compressed ; ei- 

 ther simple and naked at the summit ; or crowned with 

 an elevated, entire or lobed, border ; or with seed-doxm, 

 consisting of simple, usually rough, hairs; or of feathery 



