348 THE CROWFOOT FAMILY 
mens are replaced by more or less petal-like leaf-members 
which, however, differ considerably in shape from the petals, 
and show clearly their closer homology with filaments by nu- 
merous intermediate forms (Figs. 294, 295). What here takes 
place as an abnormality throws light upon the homology of 
certain curious and puzzling organs often called ‘“‘nectar- 
leaves’’ which take the place of the outer stamens in many 
flowers of the crowfoot family. In some anemonies—as in 
the wood-anemony—the outer stamens have anthers, while 
in other species like the pasque-flower the outer filaments 
are destitute of anthers but instead have swollen tips which 
secrete nectar (Figs. 194, 296 A). Antherless stamens are 
called staminodes.: The nectar-leaves are most probably 
of this nature. The Christmas rose has tubular staminodes; 
the mouse-tail, staminodes somewhat club-shaped and bent; 
crowfoots have them broadly expanded and _petal-like; 
fennel-flowers, more or less petal-like with a peculiar pouch; 
while in columbines there is an outer set of colored staminodes 
forming trumpet-like spurs which secrete nectar copiously, 
and next to the carpels two inner sets of five each which 
produce no nectar and are very thin and colorless (Figs. 284D, 
285II, 296B-E). It is not unusual for botanists to speak of 
the petal-like nectar-leaves of this family as petals, but this is 
not in accord with the modern view of their homology. 
Most of the crowfoot family are like marsh-marigolds in 
having no corolla. In peonies are found unmistakable petals. 
These show that they belong to the perianth, not only by 
having a much wider base than the stamens, but also by the 
occurrence of transitional forms connecting them with sepals, 
as illustrated in Fig. 294. The series as there shown connects 
also sepals, bractlets, and bracts. Anemonies and fennel- 
flowers, as we have seen, have involucres or involucels which 
are sometimes so close to the flower as to be easily mistaken 
for calyx, and which indeed differ from calyces only in being 
separated from the floral whorls by a more or less developed 
internode. The case is especially deceptive when the sepals 
are petaloid, 2. e., brightly colored like petals, and the in- 
volucre is close to the flower. Flowers without a corolla are 
1 Stam/-in-ode < L. stamen, staminis, stamen; Gr. eidos, a form. 
