20 POISONOUS PLANTS 



same kind ; in the latter the carpels beconne 

 fertilized at once. 



For, as soon as a pollen-grain has fallen upon 

 a stigma, it sends down a little tube into the 

 ovary, and then into the ovule, by means of a 

 little hole prepared to receive it. A fertilizing 

 matter called the sperm-cell then unites with the 

 germ-cell within the ovule, and the result is finally 

 an embryo with or without endosperm ; which is 

 reserve food-material, upon which the embryo 

 lives when it germinates until it has provided 

 itself with true roots and green leaves. 



As soon as the carpels have been fertilized, 

 the sepals, petals, and stamens wither and fall off. 

 The former now enlarge until they are fully matured, 

 turn brown and then fall off. Each little carpel 

 has now become an achene or fruit ; while its 

 ovule has developed into a seed. In this case the 

 ovary of the carpel dries up and is called as stated 

 the pericarp, and remains tightly investing the 

 seed within it. 



The next point to notice is the behaviour of 

 the flower-stalk. This is called the Peduncle if 

 it carries a single flower, as of a tulip, or a head 

 of flowers or rather " florets " as they are diminutive 

 in size, as of a daisy or dandelion. But, if each 

 flower is borne on its own little stalk arising from 

 the peduncle, such is called the Pedicel, as in a 

 bunch of currants or the Lily of the Valley. In 



