Zbc :fficauts of tbe flower 87 



wrapping of the bud, and maintain and protect the 

 more delicate inner parts of the flower. Within the 

 calyx is the corolla — five glossy, yellow, roundish 

 petals, set in a circle ; within this we have another 

 ring of downy, bright-yellow staniens, and still within 

 these, protected by all the others, certain yelloAV 

 pistils, fewer and firmer in texture than the stamens. 

 All these four rings of parts are placed upon the 

 fleshy, enlarged top of the stem, which is called the 

 receptacle. The yellow of this flower is very yellow, 

 the stem and leaves are very green. The stem and 

 leaves of our buttercuj^s are hairy ; the whole plant 

 is provided with a sharp,, stinging juice. 



There is a great variety in the setting of these 

 parts of the flower. In some flowers the parts all 

 adhere to the calyx ; in some the ovary or lower 

 part of the pistil is below, or inferior to the rest of 

 the flower, as in the rose, where we find the rounded 

 button of seed box below the spreading green sepals. 

 In the lily this ovary is free from the other parts, 

 and is superior to them, standing within and above 

 the rest. 



The color of the calyx is usually green, and its 

 first office is to maintain and protect more valuable 

 organs. When the corolla is absent the calyx fre- 

 quently clianges its color, and adds to its functions, 

 becoming bright-hued and serving to attract insects to 



