52 INTRODUCTION 
which the plant grows. The capsules of the summer-flowers are shorter and 
thicker than those of the spring-flowers, because the upper part of the carpels 
which is continued into the style, does not grow out into a long pointed process, as 
it does in the latter. In each chamber there are usually four seeds, just as in 
the fruits of the spring-flowers, and there is no difference between the seeds of 
the two kinds of fruit. 
At the time of its full development, the summer-flower has a length of rather 
more than one line, and its form is that of a closed flower-bud. The tip of the white 
corolla projects a little between the tightly closed sepals, but without making an 
entrance to the interior of the flower. The corolla consists of five ovate petals, with 
twisted aestivation, so as to closely envelop the essential organs. The five outer 
stamens are about half as long as the ovary, and their anthers are extremely small; 
the five inner stamens possess far larger anthers, and some of them attain the length 
of the ovary, while others are rather shorter than this. The five very short styles 
are therefore situated either right in the middle of the larger anthers, or project 
a little beyond them. The small size (1/8th-1/9th line=o-21-0-25 mm.) of the 
inner anthers is associated with a correspondingly small quantity of pollen, and the 
number of pollen-grains in each loculus may not exceed two dozen, while in the still 
smaller anthers of the outer stamens there are not more than a dozen. In spite 
of the relative fewness of the grains in comparison with other flowers, the amount 
of pollen is really not inconsiderable in relation to the number of the ovules to 
be fertilized, having regard to the fact that owing to the complete closure of the 
flower none of it can be lost, and considering how fertilization is furthered by 
the proximity of anthers and stigmas, The pollen-grains are not dehisced, but 
germinate while still enclosed in the anthers. The pollen-tubes grow out in an 
irregular tangle from both sides and from the tips of the anthers. They creep here 
and there among the anthers and styles, and for the most part climb up the latter to 
reach the small stigmas. The anthers are bound together and united with the 
stigmas by the pollen-tubes. 
The process of fertilization appears to be quickly accomplished, for com- 
paratively few flowers are found in the stage of development just described. When 
the corolla, still closely twisted, protrudes more obviously beyond the tips of the 
sepals, owing to the swelling up of the ovary, the anthers are already withered, 
and hang from the stigmas, having been detached from the persistent filaments. 
If the anthers are softened and opened at this stage, the pollen-grains will still 
be found enclosed in them. 
In Impatiens Noli-tangere the arrangements are very like those of Oxalis 
Acetosella. At the time of their full development the small flowers have the form 
of a closed, elongated bud about one line (about 21 mm.) in length, the upper part 
of the closely overlapping sepals, which projects beyond the sexual parts, being 
contracted into a relatively thin, blunt, conical process. The petals in the form 
of whitish scales of the same length as the pistil, and the anthers, which are 
carried on relatively long filaments, are inclined towards one another, so as to 
form a hood above the pistil, but they are not united to one another. When the 
ovary elongates after fertilization, it carries up the whole united mass of sepals, 
petals, and stamens in the form of a small cap, like the calyptra of a moss capsule. 
