92 Catkins 



hairy bract (Fig. 45 b). In the autumn pistil and bract 

 will together form a winged fruit. 



The flowers of the birch are yet harder to under- 

 stand. The male ones are made up of no less than six 

 bracts. First a big one behind, then two together, and 

 three in front of these. The twelve stamens grow on 

 the three front ones (Fig. 46 a). The female flowers are 

 arranged in groups of three, all growing from one bract. 

 We know that this is so because one flower cannot 

 have more than one pistil, and here are three pistils 

 growing together, so each one must belong to a separate 

 flower (Fig. 46 b). 



PRACTICAL WORK. 



1. Make a life-size sketch of each of your catkin twigs, writing 

 the name underneath. 



2. Carefully, with a long pin, take one male and one female 

 flower from each kind of catkin, and draw it 2 inches long. Take 

 off one stamen and draw it also 2 inches long. 



3. Write the answers to the following questions under your 

 drawing in question 2 : 



(i) Do the two kinds of flowers grow on the same twig or on 



separate ones ? 



(ii) How many bracts are there to each flower ? 

 (iii) How many stamens are there in the male flower ? 

 (iv) Is the flower scented ? and can you find any trace of 

 honey on it? 



HOME WORK. 



Take home your twigs and the sketches you made of them, and 

 carefully paint the sketches in water colour. 



