lO PLANT LIFE. 



that It is difficult to distinguish the separate parts. 

 These are obviously intended to support the flower 

 in its right position, and in the bud they cover over 

 the neatly folded coloured parts and protect them 

 from danger. These coloured parts, five in number, are 

 the ''petals^' and are intended to attract insects to the 

 flower. The largest is clearly spread out in such a 

 way as to be visible from the greatest possible distance. 

 Within these petals a delicate white sheath is contained, 

 which ends in ten brownish-yellow heads covered with 

 a dusty material. These are the " stamens" the male 

 part of the flower ; and the dust with which they are 

 covered is called ''pollenr Within the sheath is a green 

 organ, the ovary or " carpel^' covered by shining white 

 hairs in front ; it obviously resembles a miniature 

 French bean or pea-pod and contains small white 

 bodies called " ovules^ These ovules only become 

 seeds when the material contained in the pollen dust 

 has united with that in the ovule. For this purpose 

 the pollen dust must be placed upon the extreme end 

 of the carpel where there is a sticky point, the "'stigma','' 

 to retain it. After being placed on the stigma, it 

 begins to grow and forms a little thread-like tube, 

 which grows till it meets one of the ovules. The living 

 material of the pollen grain then enters the ovule and 

 unites with a part of it. The ovule after this union 

 becomes a seed capable of forming a new plant. 



It will be noticed, if a very young flower is opened, 

 that the pollen is scattered with an explosion, the style 

 (the thin drawn out end of the ovary) suddenly spring- 

 ing up, and the dust being thrown out. Thus, if a 

 bee opens the younger flowers, it is sure to get dusted 

 with pollen, and must leave some of this on the stigma 

 of the next flower visited. 



