24 THE PETALS AND COKOLLA. 



placing of the diadem on the brows of a king or queen. Generally 

 speaking, the corolla is composed of many separate pieces, which can 

 be picked off one by one. These are called the " petals," and a flower 

 is said to be three-petaled, four-petaled, five-petaled, &c., according 

 to their number. When more than ten are present, the flower is 

 called " polypetalous " or " many-petaled." In some families the 

 petals grow together by their edges, and form a kind of cup or bell. 

 The flower is then said to be " monopetalous " or " one-petaled," — 

 but only because of the appearance, — there is no such thing in natui'e 

 as a really one-petaled flower ; and save for the term being old and 

 current, it would be better to discard it, as only tending to create 

 mistakes, and supersede it with " sympetalous" or "joined-petaled." 

 In the Convolvulus and many other flowers the lines of junction are 

 plainly evident, resembling seams, and frequently of a darker colour 

 than the intermediate parts of the corolla, ornamenting it with stripes. 

 If the petals be united for only a portion of their length, as in a 

 Campanula, the corolla is said to be "lobed" or "divided," the 

 appearance being that of a cup with deep clefts in its margin. 

 According to the number of petals composing such corollas, they are 

 called four-lobed, five-lobed, &c. But we must be careful to remem- 

 ber that all such seamings of lobes or divisions come, in reality, of 

 the imperfect adhesion of as many distinct petals as there are points 

 and spaces between. 



In shape, size, and position, the petals vary greatly, giving rise 

 to the chief part of the wonderful diversity so much admired in 

 flowers. The first distinction originated by their difierences is that 

 of "regular" corollas and "irregular" ones. Those are called 

 " regular " which, like the tulip and the primrose, consist of a fixed 

 number of petals (whether separate or united does not matter), 

 uniform in size and figure, and arranged symmetrically round a 

 central point, like the rays of a star. (Fig. 50.) " Irregular" corollas are 

 the contrary of this, comprising the very numerous varieties where two 

 or more of the petals arc quite difiercnt from the others, both in figure 

 and dimensions, as happens in the speedwell, the orchis, and the 

 monkshood. (Fig. 51.) Outside and underneath the corolla there is a 

 green vase, genei'ally about a quarter as large, and consisting, like the 

 corolla, either of several independent pieces, or of a definite number 

 united by their edges. The component pieces arc called the " sepals," 

 and the totiil of them the " caly.x." (Figs. 52, 53.) While the blossom 

 is yet a bud, the calyx encloses and protects the petals ; but with the 



