82 



THE FLORAL ORGANS. 



257, Flower <>f tbe strawberry. 25S, Flower of tlie pink. 259, Flower of the lily (Lilium sn- 

 perbuin). The pupil will point out the parts. 



leaves with their edges distinct or united, usually green, but sometime* 

 highly colored. The calyx leaves are called sejials. 



401. Corolla is a Latin word signifying a little crown, applied to 

 the interior envelop of the flower. It consists of one or more circles 

 of leaves, either distinct or united by their edges, usually of some other 

 color than green, and of a more delicate texture than the calyx. Tts 

 leaves are called petals. 



402. Perianth (<"»', around, uvOog, flower) is a word in common 

 use to designate the floral envelops, as a whole, without distinction of 

 calyx and corolla. It is used in description, especially when these two 

 envelops are so similar as not to be readily distinguished, <is in the tulip, 

 lily, and the endogens generally ; also where only one envelop exists, as 

 in Phytolacca, elm, etc. (259, per.) 



403. The essential FLORAL organs stand within the circles of tbe 

 perianth, and are so called because they are the immediate instruments 

 in perfecting the seed and thus accomplishing the final purposes of the 

 flower. These organs are of two kinds, perfectly distinct in position 

 and office ; viz., the stamens and the pistils. 



404. The stamens arc those thread-like organs situated just within 

 the perianth and around the pistils. Their number varies from one to 

 a hundred or more ; but the most common number is five. Collec- 

 tively they are called thcandrcecium{<iv8peq* stamens, o7/coc, a house). 



405. The pistils (called also carpels) oecupy the center of the 

 flower at the absolute terminus of the flowering axis. They are some- 

 times numerous, often apparently but one, always destined to bear the 

 seed. Collectively they are called the gynoecium {yvvi), pistil, olnog). 



* The plural of a.^o, a mm, a term applied to the stamen by Linnreus in accordance with bii 

 favorite theory of the sexes of plants. The term ywn, woman, is, oa tbe same ground, applied 

 to the pistil. 



