CATKINS 



77 



be decided by mere inspection whether this is a case 

 of true forking, or whether one branch, that which 

 bears male flowers, is given off laterally, while the 

 true termination of the stem bears the female flowers. 

 The male flowers are borne upon spikes (catkins) two 

 or even three inches long, which are at first rigid, but 

 afterwards become flexible and droop ; the spikes of 

 female flowers (cones) never droop, but tend to become 

 more erect during and after flowering. The flowering 

 spikes were all formed last summer, and could be seen 

 in their unexpanded state at 

 any time during the winter ; 

 they are from the first unpro- 

 tected by envelopes of any 

 kind. 



On one of the drooping 

 male catkins we see a great 

 number of scales given off 

 from a central stem. The 

 scales are now parting, and 

 between them the bunches of 

 stamens can be seen. Cut 

 off a single scale and ex- 

 amine it. There is no better 

 way than to impale it upon 



a pin, thrusting the pin into the base of the scale, 

 which can then be turned any way at pleasure, and 

 the parts studied with a pocket-lens. We see that the 

 scale ends in a shield-like expansion of crimson-purple 

 colour. To its edge are attached two smaller bracts 

 of the same colour, and in the angles between these 

 and the central lobe are two more bracts. The up- 



FlG. IQ. Scale of Alder-catkin, 

 with male flowers. Magnified. 



