THE FLOWER. 27 



stamens, and keeping the pollen dry. The curious 

 white scales at the entrance of the Forget-me-not flower 

 also cover the stamens and keep the rain off, whilst the 

 young flowers are hidden away in a little hairy or 

 woolly coil under the stem. In the Flag, or Iris, the 

 three styles {carpel ends) are flattened out and form 

 bright coloured pieces, each of which fits over a stamen 

 and protects it. In Orchids, a sepal and two petals usually 

 form a little roof over the solitary stamen. In Grasses, the 

 stamens and styles are packed away in the most careful 

 manner between two modified leaves or bracts ; when 

 bright sunny weather comes, these bracts are made to 

 open by two tiny wedges (probably modified sepals) 

 which swell and force them apart. The stamen stalks 

 grow very rapidly ; the entire process of opening 

 may be finished in 20 minutes, so that a few hours' 

 favourable weather may ensure the pollination. The 

 shape of these enclosing bracts is well worth examina- 

 tion. In the Oat, the outer resembles the shape of a 

 boat's hull, and its edges are rolled round over the 

 inner bract, which is very like the deck of such a 

 boat. The cargo, i.e. the stamens and fruit, is therefore 

 very well protected. 



Flowers, such as the Tulip, some Buttercups, Con- 

 volvulus and Crocus, in which the pollen is exposed, 

 are very sensitive to weather. The Crocus closes when- 

 ever the sky becomes overcast, and the others men- 

 tioned shut their petals, or sleep, at night, or in dark, 

 wet weather. In a few cases, the stalk of the flower 

 assists in this protection ; it droops or bends over at 

 night so that the flower hangs upside down, and will 

 not be injured by rain, etc. The Violet shows just 

 enough curve of the stalk to take the pollen out of 

 harm's way ; but in the Tulip and the Wild Carrot' the 



