THE FLOWER. 



33 



element. Anthers are extremely varied in form in different plants, and are 

 attached to their filaments in a variety of ways. 



An anther is innate when attached by its base to the apex of the 

 filament; ad n ate when attached by one face to the side of the filament ; 

 versatile when attached at its middle point so as to turn easily ; when it 

 is fixed to the side of the filament which looks toward the pistil it is 

 introrse ; and when fixed to the other side it is extrorse. 



As intimated above, the filament is of minor importance. It is varied 

 in size and length, and is not unfrequently absent altogether. 



The stamens may also be each separate and distinct, or they may be 

 more or less united. They are m O n ad e I p h U S when united by their fila- 

 ments into one set; diadelphous in two sets; polyadelphous in 

 several sets; and syngenesious when united into one set by their 

 anthers, as in the Composite (Figs. 60 and 6 1). 1 



PIG. 58. Irregular flower of sage. Enlarged. 



FIG. 59. Common forms of stamens and anthers. 



The pistils are the organs which are fertilized and bear the seeds. 

 Their position is in the centre of the flower ; like the other floral organs, 

 their number is variable there may be one or many. 



A pistil may commonly be distinguished into three parts, namely, the 

 ovary, the style, and the stigma (Fig. 62). Of these the first and last 

 are always present, but the style may be absent, in which case the stigma 

 is sessile upon the ovary. 



The ovary, as its name indicates, is the organ which contains the 

 ovules or rudimentary seeds ; the stigma is the part upon which the pol- 

 len is deposited ; and the style the intervening portion. 



The pistil exhibits an almost endless variety of forms ; hence it is diffi- 

 cult to characterize it in such general terms as we are obliged to employ 

 in this place. 



1 For further details regarding compound flowers, see Composite. 

 3 



