CHAP. V. FUNCTION OF BEPROOUCTION. 257 



soms to the sun during his diurnal course through the 

 sky. That such is not always the fact is easily seen, 

 for it often happens that a single plant is covered with 

 blossoms, which face all quarters of the heavens. It is 

 possible there may be some foundation for the opinion, 

 and that under a more genial climate this may be the 

 fact ; or perhaps the notion may have originated in some 

 confusion of ideas connected with the name of the plant, 

 which seems at least as much entitled to its appellation 

 from the appearance of its flowery disk surrounded by 

 the glory of its golden rays, as from the very doubtful 

 property which has been assigned to it. An effect 

 of the kind alluded to is sometimes strikingly exhibited 

 in such flowers as Hypochceris radicata, and Apargia 

 autumnalis ; which may often be seen in meadows 

 where they abound, most evidently inclining their 

 blossoms towards that quarter of the heavens in which 

 the sun is shining. 



(252.) Functions of the Perianth. The universal 

 presence of the stamens and pistils in every species 

 of flowering plant, and the frequent want of a corolla 

 and in some cases of a calyx also, appear to indicate 

 that the functions of the two outermost whorls of 

 the flower forming the perianth, are not so essential 

 to the perfecting of the seed as the two innermost. In 

 many cases indeed, where these whorls are not deve- 

 loped, some traces of their existence are nevertheless 

 apparent in the form of glandular protuberances or 

 nectaries j and it is possible that these may still perform 

 whatever "function" more especially belongs to the 

 perianth ; just as the green surfaces of stems which 

 do not develop leaves, perform the function of respir- 

 ation. One obvious use of the calyx and corolla, 

 when they are present, is to protect the inner whorls 

 from injury in the early stages of their develop- 

 ment. It seems not unlikely that they may pri- 

 marily be destined in some way to modify the ma- 

 terials which are provided for the formation of the 

 pollen and ovules. In addition to the purpose which 

 s 



