' 



FLOWERS. 



THERE are seven parts to a flower the Calyx, Corolla, 

 Stamens, Pistils, Pericarpium, Seed, and Receptacle, 



The Calyx, sometimes called the flower cup, is formed 

 of one or more green or yellow leaves, situated at a small 

 distance from, or close to, the blossom ; its chief use is to 

 support and protect the other parts of the flower ; it is 

 the envelope in which, in most cases, the tender flower 

 lies, for a time, concealed, as the green leaves of a rose- 

 bud, which cover the blossom, and burst as the flower 

 opens. In the rose, it is situated above the germen, or seed 

 vessel ; . but, in the pea, it will be found beneath the seed 

 vessel. 



When remote from the flower, as in the Carrot, and 

 other umbelliferous plants, [3] it is called an Involucre. 

 When contiguous to the flower, or other parts of the fruc- 

 tification, as in the Primrose, &c. it is called a Perianth. 



Some flowers have no Calyx, as the Tulip others have 

 them double, as in the Mallow ; but most flowers have them 

 single, as in the Primrose. 



Linnceus considered the Calyx as a prolongation of the 

 cortex, or outer bark of the plant. 



Calyx. The Perianth is not changed in double flowers : 

 hence the genus, or family, may be often discovered by 

 the calyx. 



The Corolla is formed by the delicate leaves called the 

 blossom ; as the red leaves of a rose, each one of which is 

 called a Petal. It is distinguished from the Perianth by 

 the fineness of its texture, and, generally, by the gayness 

 of its colours. The corolla is considered the termination 

 of the inner bark, or Liber. 



The Stamens are threads within a flower, which have 

 two parts; the filament, or slender part by which they are 

 fastened to the flower ; and the anther (which holds the 

 pollen, or fine powder) situated on the top of the filament. 

 They are seated externally with respect to the pistils, in- 

 ternally with respect to the calyx and corolla. They are 

 inserted either into the calyx, the corolla, or the recepta- 

 cle, rarely either upon the germen, or the style. Their 



number differs in different genera and species of flowers, 

 from one to a hundred or more. 



The Stamens, according to their number, situation, and 

 proportion, furnish the leading principles of distinction in 

 the artificial, or sexual, system of Linnaeus. These or- 

 gans are liable to be changed into petals, in what are 

 termed double flowers; and, if the change be complete, the 

 flower will no longer bear a perfect seed. 



Double flowers become what is botanically termed vege- 

 table monsters, by the multiplication of their petals, or 

 nectaries. 



In those flowers which have many petals, the lowest 

 series of the petals remain unchanged in respect to num- 

 ber : hence, the natural number of the petals is easily dis- 

 covered, as in poppies, roses, nigella, &c. 



The Pistils are the threads situated in the centre of the 

 flower ; adhering to the fruit, for the reception of the 

 pollen. A perfect pistil consists of three parts, the germen, 

 style, and stigma. The thickest part, at the bottom of the 

 pistil, is called the germen, or seed-bud, and contains the 

 rudiments of the young fruit, or seed ; the style stands 

 upon the germen, and serves to elevate the stigma, or 

 highest part of the pistil. The style is various in length, 

 and thickness, but not always present. The stigma which 

 is indispensably necessary, is, in some cases, seated imme- 

 diately upon the germen. The shape of the stigma is 

 either simple, being little more than a point ; or it is capi- 

 tate, like a pin's head, as in the Primrose. In most 

 grasses, the stigmas are amply branched or feathery, to 

 detain the pollen. In the Mallow tribe, there is an abun- 

 dance of viscid moisture evident in the stigma, and their 

 rich purple, or scarlet colour, contrasts beautifully with the 

 large yellow pollen, whose bursting, or explosion, may 

 almost be seen with the naked eye. 



The Pericarpium, or seed-vessel, is the germen grown 

 to maturity. It varies extremely, being pulpy in apples, 

 fleshy in cherries, juicy in gooseberries, and hard in nuts. 

 In other words, the fruit which we eat, is nothing more 



