MODIFICATIONS OF THE FILAMENT. 243 
very short ; in the Primrose (fig. 543), and commonly in the 
Primulacez, a similar condition also occurs. In the Fuchsia, 
Lily, Grasses (fig. 505), and Sedges (jig. 503), the filaments are 
usually very long. 
In colour the filaments are generally white, but at other times 
they assume vivid tints like the corolla or perianth ; thus in the 
Spiderwort they are blue, in various species of Ranunewlus 
and of (nothera yellow, in ‘some Poppies black, in Fuchsia 
red, &c. 
In direction the filaments, and consequently the stamens, 
are either erect, incurved, recurved, pendulous, &c. ; these terms 
being used in their ordinary acceptation. When the filaments are 
all turned towards one side of the flower, as in the Horsechest- 
Fria. 505. Fie. 506. Fie. 507. Fia. 508. 
EN 
Fig. 505. A locusta of Wheat ( 7riticum sativum), consisting of several flowers, 
the stamens of which have very long capillary filaments, and versatile pen- 
dulous anthers. The anthers are notched or forked at each extremity, and 
thus resemble somewhat the letter x inform. Fig- 506. Three of the 
stamens of Tamarix gallica, with their filaments flattened at the base and 
united with each other. Fig.507. Pistilof aspecies of Campanula, with 
a solitary stamen arising from the summit of the ovary. The filament 
is flattened. Fig. 508. Dilated toothed filament of a species of Allium, 
nut and Amaryllis, they are said to be declinate. Generally 
speaking, their direction is nearly the same from one end of the 
filament to the other, but in some cases the original direction is 
departed from in a remarkable manner, and the upper part of 
the filament forms an angle more or less obtuse with the lower, 
in which case it is termed geniculate, as in Maherma. This 
appearance sometimes arises from the presence of an articulation 
at the point where the angle is produced, as in Euphorbia (fig. 
512, a). In sucha case, or whenever an articulation exists on 
the apparent filament, this is not to be considered as a true 
filament, but to consist in reality of a flower-stalk supporting a 
single stamen. The flower here, therefore, is reduced to a 
single stamen, all the parts except it being abortive. This is 
R2 
