16 MYSTERIES OF THE FLOWERS 



DICECIOUS FLOWERS 



The flowers of the willow, 

 spoken of as catkins or pussy- 

 willows, which are among the 

 first growing things to announce 

 the impulse of spring, are dis- 

 covered to consist in the one case 

 of merely two stamens and in the 

 other of a pistil, springing from 

 the axil of a small, furry bract 

 which has shielded them from the 

 winter cold. They lure the bee for the same reason 

 that they attract us, not because of any charm of 

 colour, but because there are no other flowers to 

 compete with them. Some willows are monoecious. 



Pistillate 

 Flower 



WILLOW CATKINS 



ASPARAGUS 



When the garden asparagus has gone to seed it 

 will be noted that some plants are full of pretty, 

 red berries, while others are com- 

 pletely sterile. This is due to the 

 fact that some bear pistillate and 

 others staminate flowers. Very in- 

 conspicuous they are, owing to 

 their greenish colour and small 

 size, but the staminate flower is the ASPARAGUS 



