228 



THE FLOWER. 



monly exhibit the green color and have much the appearance of 

 ordinary leaves. Those of the inner cir- 

 cle, which are commonly of a more deli- 

 cate texture and brighter color, and form 

 the most showy part of the blossom, 

 compose the COROLLA. The several 

 parts or leaves of the corolla are called 

 PETALS : and the leaves of the calyx 

 take the corresponding name of SEPALS. 

 One of the five sepals of the flower rep- 

 resented in Fig. 256 is separately shown in Fig. 258 ; and one of 

 the petals in Fig. 259. The calyx and corolla taken together, or 

 the whole floral envelopes, whatever they may consist of, are 

 sometimes called the PERIANTH (Perianthium or Perigonium). 



418. The Essential Organs of the flower are likewise of two kinds, 

 and occupy two circles or rows, one within the other. The first of 

 these, those next within the petals, are the STAMENS (Fig. 260). 

 A stamen consists of a column or stalk, called the FILAMENT (Fig. 

 262, a), which bears on its summit a rounded 



body, or case, termed the ANTHER (), filled 

 with a powdery substance called POLLEN, which 

 it discharges through one or more slits or open- 

 ings. The older botanists had no general term 

 for the stamens taken collectively, analogous to 

 that of corolla for the entire whorl of petals, 

 and of calyx for the whorl of sepals. A name 

 has, however, recently been proposed for the 

 staminate system of a flower, which it is occasionally convenient to 

 use ; that of ANDROZCIUM. 



419. The remaining, or seed-bearing organs, which occupy the 

 centre or summit of the flower, to whose protection and perfec- 

 tion all the other parts of the flower are in some way subservient, 

 are termed the PISTILS. To them the collective name of GTN^E- 

 CIUM has been applied. One of them is separately shown in Fig. 

 261. This is seen more magnified and cut across in Fig. 263 ; 

 and a different one, longitudinally divided, so as to exhibit the 

 whole length of its cavity, or ceZZ, is represented in Fig. 264. 



FIG. 258. A separate sepal: 259, a petal; 260, a stamen ; and 261, a pistil from the flower 

 of Fig. 256. 

 FIG. 262. A stamen, with the anther (6) discharging its pollen : a, the filament. 



