THE CATKINS OF THE WILLOW 



meaning of their differences and their growing 

 apart on distinct trees ? 



To answer that question we have to examine a 

 catkin of each in detail. Taking, first, one of the 

 yellow examples, we cut it through with a sharp 

 penknife, and then, assisted by a pocket magnifier, 

 dissect one of the tiny flowers from the crowded 

 mass. In the example on the left of Fig. 79 (Plate 

 56), the little flower is shown as it appears when 

 magnified. It only needs a glance to see that it 

 consists of a scale clothed with silky hairs and two 

 stamens with long filaments, or stalks ; there is also 

 a little gland at the base of the stamens, of which I 

 will speak later. The yellow catkin, then, consists 

 of hundreds of tiny, simple male flowers all crowded 

 together and each composed of a scale and two 

 yellow -headed stamens — for it is the yellow heads 

 of the stamens and the yellow pollen that falls 

 from them that gives the golden colour to the 

 catkin. 



Now, in a similar manner we examine the silver 

 catkin. On the right of Fig. 79 (Plate 56) is shown 

 one of the little flowers. It is obvious that this is 

 entirely different from the flower of the yellow 

 catkin ; indeed, it consists of an ovary or seed- 

 producing part and a hairy scale. There are no 

 yellow-headed stamens or yellow pollen in this 

 case— nothing but the grey or silvery hairs that 

 clothe the ovary and the protective scale. It is 

 plain, therefore, that the silver catkins produce 

 only female flowers. 



When dealing with catkins in Chapter IV., 



121 



