39, 40.] 



THE ESSENTIAL ORGANS. 



111. A. perfect stamen consists of two parts the 

 filament, corresponding with the petiole of the typical 

 leaf ; and the anther, answering to the blade. Within 

 the cells of the anther the pollen is produced, a sub- 

 stance essential to the fertility of the flower. Hence 

 the anther alone is the essential part of the stamen. 



80, Andrcecium and gyncecium of Frankenia (after Peyer). 81, Stamen (adnate) of Morning-glory. 

 82, Same enlarged, with pollen grains discharged ; /, filament ; a, a, anther, 2-lobed ; c, top of the con- 

 nectile. 83. Ranunculus. 84, Same, cut transversely. 85, Iris, cut transversely (extrorse). 86, Ama- 

 ryllis, versatile. 87, Larkspur, innate. 88, Same, cut. 



112. The filament (filum, a thread) is the stalk sup- 

 porting the anther at or near its top. It is ordinarily 

 slender, yet sustaining itself with the anther in posi- 

 tion. Sometimes it is capillary, and pendulous with 

 its weight, as in the Grasses. 



113. The anther is regularly an oblong body at the 

 summit of the filament, composed of two hollow par- 

 allel lobes joined to each other and to the filament by 

 the connectile. In front of the connectile, looking 

 toward the pistil, there is usually a furrow; on its 

 back a ridge, and on the face of each lobe a seam, 

 the usual place of dehiscence or opening, all running 

 parallel with the filament and connectile. 



114. The stamen, as thus described, may be considered regular or typical 

 in form, and is well exemplified in that of the Buttercup (Fig. 83). But the 

 variations of structure are as remarkable here as in other organs, depending 

 on such circumstances as ; 1st, The attachment of filament to anther. This 



