152 TYPES OF BRITISH PLANTS 
particular chapter we have only to deal with one section 
of these, namely, those in which the calyces and corollas 
are not built up merely of separate leaves, but are united 
at the base into tubes, one enfolding the other. At the 
same time, both in calyx and corolla, we find that the 
edge of the top of the tube, which usually expands into 
complicated shapes in the case of the corolla, is not 
regular and round, but divided into a varying number 
of lobes or sections, as one may see 
at once in the Common Primrose. 
Now, these lobes may indicate one 
of two things. They may be the 
reminder of a past, when the leaves 
composing calyx and corolla were 
all separate, though it has since 
been found more advantageous for 
the plant that they should combine, 
or, possibly, they may be an indica- 
tion of the higher development, in 
COROLLA OF PRIMROSE. —_which.the sepals. and) pepalnvate une 
become free from one another, as we shall see they 
are when we reach later tribes. On the whole, the 
former theory would seem to be a little more likely. 
Proceeding further in our subdivision, we find that these 
plants whose flowers are in one piece, so to speak, are 
divided into two smaller groups, those with the seed- . 
vessel above the point at which these enveloping rings 
join the stalk, and those which keep their precious 
burden lower down. To the latter belong the Bell- 
flowers and the Daisies of the next chapter. 
To give you an idea of how many of our favourite 
wild flowers are to be found in this group, let me give 
you a list of the chief “orders” which are ranked within 
