50 



ELEMENTS OP STRUCTURAL BOTANY. 



You see now why some blossoms produce cucumbers 

 and others do not. Most of the blossoms have no pistil, 

 and are termed xfamiitafc. or .^fcrile flowers, whilst the 

 others are pistillate or fertile. Flowers in which either 

 stamens or pistils are wanting are also called imperfect. 

 When staminate and pistillate flowers grow on the same 

 plant, as they do in the case of the Cucumber, they are 

 said to be monoecious. 



69. In plants of this kind the pollen of one kind of 

 blossom is conveyed to the stigmas of the other kind, 

 chiefly by insects, which visit the flowers indiscrimin- 

 ately in search of honey. The pollen dust clings to 

 their hairy legs and bodies, and is presently rubbed off' 

 upon the stigma of some fertile flower. 



70. In order to describe monoecious flowers, our 

 schedule will require a slight modification. As given 

 below, the symbol stands for "staminate flower," 

 and the symbol for "pistillate flower." 



CUCUMBER. 



