RELATIVE LENGTH OF THE STAMENS. 257 
Secondly, the relative length of the stamens with respect to 
each other presents several peculiarities, some of which are im- 
portant in Descriptive Botany. Thus, sometimes all the stamens 
Fie. 554. Fic. 555. Fic. 556. 
Y 
aN 
Fig. 554, The pistil, a, of Hypericum egyptiacum, surrounded by the stamens, 
é, €, which are united by their filaments, 7, 7, into three bundles. Fig. 
555. One of the branched bundles of stamens of the Castor-oil Plant (Ri- 
cinus communis). 7. United filaments, Fig. 556. Flower of a species 
of Valerian ( Valeriana), showing the stamens prolonged beyond the tube 
of the corolla, or exserted, The corolla is gibbous at the base. 
of the flower are nearly of the same length ; while at other times 
they are very unequal. This inequality may be altogether ir- 
Fie. 557. Fie. 558. Fic. 559. 
als Be 
Fig. 557, One of the bundles of stamens of Luhea paniculata, the inner sta- 
mens on the right are longer than the others and are provided with 
anthers: the shorter stamens are generally sterile. Fig. 558. Tetra- 
dynamous stamens of the Wallflower ( Cheiranthus Cheirt).—§ Fig. 559. 
Didynamons stamens of the Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). 
regular again, following no definite rule, or take place in a defj- 
nite and regular manner ; thus, when the flowers are polysteme- 
nous, the stamens nearest the centre may be longer than those 
Ss 
