CHAPTER I 



DICOTYLEDONS (PLANTS WITH NET- 

 VEINED LEAVES) 



{Introductory Volu?ne, p. ^2) 



FLOWERING plants are termed "Phanero- 

 gams," because they show an evident flower, 

 as opposed to the Cryptogams, where the inflores- 

 cence, cone-hke in some cases, consists of sporophylls 

 and bracts, but no perianth difl"erentiated as in 

 Phanerogams. 



Robert Brown further divided Phanerogams into 

 Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. The former have 

 the seeds or fertiHsed ovules not enclosed in an ovary 

 or fruit- wall. In the Pine the ovules are protected 

 by a persistent woody bract, but otherwise the ovules 

 are naked. 



In Angiosperms the ovule is enclosed in an ovary, 

 the carpel being closed, and the pollen-tube pierces 

 this in its passage towards the micropyle to affect 

 fertilisation. 



Thus, both Gymnosperms and Angiosperms may 

 be grouped together in one class, Seed-plants or 



