THE FLOWER 



103 



filaments serve to catch the pollen when it has fallen upon the cone 

 and down between the scales to the ovules. 



Draw upper and under views, to show the two scales and the ovules. 



Further Work on the Flower 



The study of the flower, as far as many of the details are concerned, 

 depends so much on the available material that specific directions had 

 best be left to the teacher. 



For suggestions as to systematic study of flowering plants, see the 

 Appendix. 



XII. THE FLOWER 

 GENERAL MORPHOLOGY OF THE FLOWER 



188. The flower is destined to produce seed ; the seed, 

 to bring forth a plant of the next generation. At the 

 center of the flower bud, in their proper cavities the 

 beginnings of the seed rudiments are distinguishable long 

 before the flower is ready to open. If, after the bud 



130. A flower of the Cherry Tree cut 

 open to show the single ovule 

 in its receptacle, the ovary. 



finally unfolds and the several l-^l- The ovary of Maudrake 

 1 , ,^ i 1 opened at oiie side to 



envelopes separate, the receptacle 

 seen within is cut open, one or 

 two, often several, and not uncom- 

 monly very many, rounded bodies 

 are discovered, — white, shining, and translucent, spring- 

 ing in definite and orderly arrangement from the walls 

 or the central axis. These are the ovules (Figs. 130, 131). 

 To these small vesicles the life of the species of plants 

 which bear them is for a time intrusted. Each one car- 



show the numerous 

 ovules, each contain- 

 ing the starting point 

 of a new plant. 



