V 



BOTANY FOR BEGINNERS. 



[Ch. XIV. 



338. 10th. Ament, or catkin, is an as- 

 semblage of flowers, composed of scales 

 and stamens, arranged along a common, 

 thread-like receptacle, as in the Chestnut 

 and Willow ; this is more particularly de 

 scribed under the divisions of the calyx. 

 The scales of the ament are properly the 

 calyxes ; the whole aggregate, including 

 scales, stamens or pistils, and filiform re- 

 ceptacle, constitutes the ament. 



339. At Fig. 58. is the representation 

 of the ament of the Poplar, containing pis- 

 tillate flowers ; this is oblong, loosely im- 

 bricated, and cylindrical ; the calyx is a 

 flat scale, with deep fringed partings. At 

 6, is an enlarged representation of the fer- 



" tile or pistillate flower : the calyx or bract 

 : is a little below the corolla, which is cup- 

 shaped, of one petal, and crowned with an 

 egg-shaped, pointed ^errn ; the germ is superior, and bears four 

 (sometimes eight) stigmas. 



340. The staminate ament of the Poplar resembles the pis- 

 tillate, except that its corolla encloses e,ight stamens but no pis- 

 til. The Poplar is in the class Dicecia, (or two houses,) because 

 the pistillate and staminate {lowers are on different trees, and oi 

 the order Octandria, because its barren flowers have eight sta- 

 mens. 



338. What is an ament ? 



339. What does Fjg. 58 represent! 



340. Why is the Poplar in the class Dioecia, orc'e* Octaid 



