2IO SAGACITY AND MORALITY OF PLANTS. 



of stamens and pistils in all dicotyledonous flowers, 

 and three in all monocotyledonous kinds. These 

 two typical numbers are fairly adhered to in both 

 divisions, but there are numerous instances indicating 

 that the decreased number of floral organs is due to 

 suppression — in short, to floral poverty. Thus the 

 Saltworts {Salicornia) and Marestails {Hippttris) have 

 only one stamen and one pistil ; the Starworts {Calli- 

 triche) one stamen, but two pistils ; the pretty little 

 Veronicas or Speedwells, on the contrary, have two 

 stamens and only one pistil ; as is also the case with 

 the Privet, Salvia, etc. The Burnets, Plantains, 

 Teasels, Scabious, etc., have only four stamens. In 

 these flowers the petals are usually only four in 

 number. Practically, all the departures from the 

 number five are due to suppression of the parts 

 lacking to make up that number ; and we may 

 reasonably assign as a cause for such reduction, 

 the necessity experienced by the plant for reducing 

 its floral expenditure. Sometimes we catch a plant 

 in the act of suppression. Thus, if we examine the 

 flower of the Oak we find it has two ovaries, each 

 containing ovules. But only one of these comes to 

 anything — that is, to an acorn. The other, instead 

 of increasing in size, decreases and dies. The carpels 

 of many flowers are suppressed in a similar way 

 during maturation. The plant finds it could not 

 afford to part with the albuminoid materials neces- 

 sary to furnish such a supply, and so it reduces 



