14 



BRITISH FLOWERING PLANTS 



another by the wind; and very frequently it is 

 transferred from plant to plant by bees and other 

 insects. 



The style is sometimes very short, and placed 

 directly on the ovary ; but is often very long. It 

 consists of the stigma, on which the pollen-grains 

 fall, and the tube-like stem. Beneath is the ovary. 

 Sometimes the style is absent, and we find only 



(r) Inferior, when the calyx, corolla, and stamens 

 stand on the ovary itself (fig. 84). 



In double flowers, like garden Roses and 

 Dahlias, the stamens, and in part the styles, are 

 metamorphosed into petals ; and such flowers are 

 infertile. The outer flowers of the wild Guelder- 

 rose, and all the flowers of the garden plant, 

 are likewise infertile. 



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a stigma placed directly on the ovary itself. The 

 stigma is then said to be sessile. The ovary 

 may be — 



(a) Superior, when it is placed higher than the 

 calyx, corolla, and stamens (fig. 82). 



(b) Medium, when the calyx, corolla, and 

 stamens stand in a pitcher-like prolongation of 

 the axis of the flower (fig. 83). 



In many flowers the corolla is irregularly 

 tormed. 



Among these are the Pafiilionacece, or butterfly- 

 flowers, such as those of Peas and Beans. They are 

 so called from their resemblance to white butter- 

 flies ; and the corolla is composed of five petals — 

 one upper (the flag or standard), two lateral 

 (wings), and two lower. The last are generally 



