THE DAISY. 



23 



part of which, is formed by the stigma, or upper part of 

 the pistil. As the latter elongates, it presses the pollen 

 against the upper part of the box, which at length is forced 

 open, and the pollen is pushed out (Fig. 21). Any insect 

 then alighting on the flower would carry off some of the 

 pollen adhering to its under side. The upper part of 

 the pistil terminates in two branches (Fig. 22, $t), each of 

 which bears a little brush of hairs. These hairs serve to 

 brush the pollen out of the tube ; while in the tube the 



FIG. 20. 



FIG. 21. 



FIG. 22. 



FIG. 20. Floret of Chrysanthemum parthenium, just opened. 

 FIG. 21. Ditto, somewhat more advanced. 

 FIG. 22. Ditto, with the stigmas expanded. 



two branches are pressed close together, but at a later 

 stage they separate, and thus expose the stigmatic sur- 

 faces (Fig. 21), on which an insect, coming from a 

 younger flower, could hardly fail to deposit some pollen. 

 The two stigmas in the ray florets of Parthenium have 

 no brush of hairs ; and they would be of no use, as these 

 flowers have no stamens. 



