16 



FLOWERS 



described as superior. Such 

 flowers are hypogynous. In 

 some flowers, as in the Peach 

 shown in Figure 7, the calyx, 

 corolla, and stamens are at- 

 tached to the rim of a cup- 

 like structure surrounding the 

 ovary. In this case the flower 

 is perigynous, and the ovary 

 is described as half inferior. To 

 which of the above classes does 

 the Apple flower belong? In 

 Figure 11 the three positions 

 of the perianth and stamens in 

 reference to the ovary are shown 

 for comparison. 



Some Particular Forms of 

 Flowers 



That there are numerous 

 differences among flowers is 

 shown by the fact that largely 

 upon differences pertaining to 

 flowers, the Flowering Plants 

 have been divided into many 

 classes, such as orders, which in 

 turn are subdivided into fami- 

 lies, then into genera, and 

 finally into species of which 

 there are more than 100,000. 

 The differences are mainly struc- 

 tural, and between flowers of 

 FIG 12. -Corn _ plant t, tassel d;fferent famUies ^ are <rften 



consisting of staminate flowers; e, 



ears on which the pistillate flowers q ulte prominent. For example, 

 are found. when such flowers as those of the 



Grass, Bean, Sunflower, and 



Orchid family are compared, that there are peculiar differences 

 in the character of flowers is obvious. 



Grass Flowers. One of the characteristic features of the 

 Grass flowers is, that there are no showy organs. Grass flowers 



