148 



PARTICULAR FORMS OF FLOWERS 



Malvaceae, or Mallow family, has flowers similar to those of 

 the hollyhock. To this family belong marsh mallow, althea, 

 okra, cotton (Fig. 249). Observe that even though the 

 hollyhock is a great tall-growing 

 showy plant and the "cheeses" is a 

 weak trailing inconspicuous plant, 

 they belong to the same family, as 

 shown by the structure of the flowers. 



251. Jack-in-the-pulpit. 252. Wild aster, with 

 "Jack" is the spadix; six heads, each con- 



the "pulpit" is the 

 spathe. 



taining several 

 florets. 



253. Head of pasture 

 thistle, showing the 

 high prickly involucre. 



300. Orchid Flowers. The flowers of orchids vary 

 wonderfully in shape, size and color. Most of them are 

 specially adapted to insect pollination. The distinguish- 

 ing feature of the orchid flower, however, is the union of 

 stamens and pistil in one body, known as the column. In 

 Fig. 250 the stemless lady's-slipper is shown. The flower 

 is 3-merous. One of the petals is developed into a great 

 sac or "slipper," known as the lip. Over the opening of 

 this sac the column hangs. The column is shown in detail: 

 a is the stigma; d is an anther, and there is another similar 

 one on the opposite side, but not shown in the picture; b 



