200 



Kansas State Board of Agriculture. 



is the pistil, surrounded by a ring of ten stamens, which are joined to- 

 gether in a kind of whitish sheath or envelope, surrounding the green 

 pistil within. At the top of the stamens are the anthers, or pollen sacs, 

 which contain the fertilizing pollen. Roughly speaking, we may dis- 



FIG. 174. Keel petal of alfalfa (center) spread open, with pockets, into 

 which fit projections from the two wing petals, shown at either side. The 

 keel petal is closed over the column of the stamen and pistil, holding it 

 down through the locking device made by the projections from the wings 

 fitting into the pockets in the keel. When the keel is depressed these pro- 

 jections are released and no longer pin the keel and its contents down. 

 The pistil accordingly springs up. 



