1 66 GLIMPSES IXTO PI.AKTLIFE 



harrow, vetches, tares, trefoil, clover, saintfoiii, and 

 other plants. In the <^arden and greenhouse we 

 shall see many more species belonging to this 

 class. 



Having shown the difference between a regular 

 and irregular flower, we will now proceed to notice 

 how irregularity is caused. 



If we pull off one of the buttercup petals and 

 look at the base of it, we shall see a small pouch 

 which contains hone}' ; it is called a nectary or 

 honey gland, and the position of this gland has 

 much to do with the shape of the flower. 



As each petal of the buttercup has a nectary at 

 its base it follows that, all the petals being the same 

 size and shape, the flower is perfectly regular — 

 like a small golden cup. Now in other flowers we 

 shall find the nectary very large and confined to 

 one petal or sepal only, and this results in the 

 flower having an irregular shape. Gather a violet, 

 examine and compare the petals ; four of them 

 will be found to be nearly alike, but the lower petal 

 is much larger because it has grown into a tube 

 (called a spur; to secrete honey, and I need hardly 

 say that the honey is intended to attract the bees 



