SECTION V. REPRODUCTION 



A. SEXUAL REPRODUCTION 

 THE FLOWER AXD ITS PARTS 



Examine some large flower like that of the mandrake and 

 note the nature and relation of its parts. 



1. How many kinds of different parts or organs are there 



in the flower ? How are they arranged with reference 

 to each other ? Does each set of organs form a circle, 

 or whorl, like cyclic leaves on a stem, or are all parts 

 of the flower spiral, like spirally arranged leaves ? Do 

 any portions of the flower resemble leaves in color, 

 form, or venation ? 



2. Remove carefully the floral parts or organs on one side 



of a flower. Place the parts thus removed in a watch 

 glass of water for future examination. Now examine 

 the flower from which the parts have been removed. 

 a. What is the nature of the floral axis to which the floral 

 parts are attached ? Has it nodes and internodes ? Is 

 it like the axis of a branch or bud in this respect ? 

 5. Observe again the relative .position of the different sets 

 of organs of the flower. Are the members of each 

 set spiral or cyclic in arrangement ? What kind of 

 organ (or organs) terminates the floral axis ? 

 c. Does the flower resemble a bud in the arrangement of its 

 organs on the floral axis ? Does it seem to you possible 

 that the flower was originally derived from a short 

 branch or bud ? What parts of the flower are nearly 

 like leaves ? What parts are highly modified ? 

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