112 DATE GROWING 



branches on the male flower cluster. The female 

 flower also differs very much from the male flower. 

 It is an oval-looking body and might be mistaken for 

 a male flower in which the white scales (sepals and 

 petals) had not opened out. On dissecting it, however, 

 it will be found that the central and main part of the 

 flower is formed of three solid bodies closely applied 

 to each other on their adjacent faces and forming 

 what appears like one oval body. Each of these 

 three solid bodies is called a carpel and contains a 

 structure called an ovule, which when fertilized by the 

 pollen gives rise to a seed, the carpel giving rise to a 

 fruit at the same time.* At the bases of the three 

 carpels are six scale-like structures similar to the 

 protecting scaly sepals and petals found in the male 

 flower, but very much smaller and clinging more 

 closely to the carpels. A mass of female flowers 

 therefore never has the very waxy, white appearance 

 which a mass of open male flowers has. 



"At a distance, therefore, the flower clusters may 

 be distinguished by the fact that the small branches 

 in the male cluster are about six inches long and 

 densely clustered at the end of the axis, while those of 

 the female are usually several times that length and 

 less densely clustered at the end of the axis. When 

 the flowers newly open they may also be distinguished 

 at a distance by the white waxy color of the male 

 flowers, and the more yellowish hue and less crowded 

 appearance of the female flowers. If taken in hand 

 at this stage a dense cloud of pollen dust will be 

 produced from the male flower, while none will 

 appear from the female flower. Also six stamens with 



*Two of these carpels drop off while the dates are still small, 

 leaving only one fruit on each stem, under normal conditions. 



