xii.] BOTANY. 47 



on the peduncles are called bracts, those at the base 

 of or on the pedicels bracteoles ; the bracts at the 

 base of or around a head or umbel or flower, are often 

 crowded together, and form an involucre, which may 

 consist of one whorl of leaves (carrot), or of many 

 overlapping bracts (daisy, acorn-cup). 



XII. THE FLOWER. 



80. The use of the flower is to bring about the 

 multiplication of the plant by seed. 



8 1. The flower consists of one or more series of 

 organs crowded round the tip of a peduncle or pedicel 

 (Par. 76), and called floral whorls. These differ 

 greatly in form, colour, and size ; but ell bear the same 

 relation to the stem as leaves do, and are modifica- 

 tions of the leaf-type. All foliar organs are developed 

 on one plan, but take different shapes and perform 

 different functions according to the requirements of 

 the plant. 



82. Before describing the individual floral organs, 

 it will greatly facilitate the student's progress to fami- 

 liarize him with their number, form, and relative 

 positions, in flowers which differ very widely from 

 one another. Beginning from without, the floral 

 whorls are : 



(a) Calyx, a protective organ ; it forms the first or 

 outer whorl, is usually green, and its pieces, called 

 sepals, may be separate (free), or combined into 

 a cup or tube, wholly or in part only. 



(b) Corolla, an attractive organ ; it forms the 

 second whorl; it is white or coloured (very rarely 

 green) in order to attract insects to the flower : honey 



