THE STRUCTURE OF FLOWERS IQ 



the right-hand edge. Fig. 2 is another stamen 

 with both of the anther-cells open to shed the 

 pollen. Fig. 3 is a flower in which the carpels are 

 beginning to ripen, and from which the sepals, 

 petals, and most of the stamens have fallen off. 

 The floral receptacle is the enlarged, somewhat 

 globular support for the parts of the flower. Fig. 4 

 is a carpel, {a) being the ovary, {b) the style, and 

 (c) the stigma. Fig. 5 is the same cut vertically 

 showing the ovule at the base of the ovary. This 

 becomes the seed and then fills the ovary-cell 

 completely, as shown in Fig. 8. 



Fig. 6, the carpels are now ripe, making a head 

 of achenes. Fig. 7 is one of them separated, and 

 Fig. 8 is a section showing the seed cleft in half, 

 and filling the entire chamber of \\\^ pericarp as the 

 ripened carpel is now called. Its minute embryo 

 is seen at the base embedded in endosperm (flour, 

 in wheat). Figs. 9 and 10 are two views of the 

 embryo. 



We must now briefly consider the uses of these 

 parts of a flower. 



The calyx protects the rest of the flower when 

 undeveloped in the bud. 



The corolla attracts insects, which come for 

 honey or pollen, by its bright colour. 



The stamens shed the fertilizing pollen on to 

 bees, etc., or else on to the stigma. In the 

 former case, it is conveyed to other flowers of the 



