LESSON 15.] SO-CALLED COMPOUND FLOWERS. 



107 



axil it grew ; and also one belonging to the margin, or ray, with 

 a strap-shaped corolla (c), borne in the axil of a leaf or bract of 



a 6 



the involucre (d). Here the ray-flower consists merely of a strap- 

 shaped corolla, raised on the small rudiment of an ovary ; it is 

 therefore a neutral flower, like those of the ray or margin of the 

 cluster in Hydrangea (229, Fig. 167), only of a different shape. 

 More commonly the flowers with a strap-shaped corolla are pis- 

 tillate, that is, have a pistil only, and produce seed like the others, 

 as in Whiteweed. But in the Dandelion, Succory (Fig. 221, 222), 



and all of that tribe, these flowers are perfect, that is, bear both 

 stamens and pistils. And moreover all the flowers of the head are 

 strap-shaped and alike. 



278. Puzzling as these strap-shaped corollas appear at first view, 

 an attentive inspection will generally reveal the plan upon which 

 they are constructed. We can make out pretty plainly, that each 

 one consists of five petals (the tips of which commonly appear as five 

 teeth at the extremity), united by their contiguous edges, except on 



FIG. 220. A slice of Fig. 219, more enlarged, with one tubular perfect flower (a) left 

 standing on the receptacle, with its bractlet or chaff (6), one ligulate, neutral ray-flower (.c) 

 and part of another: rf, section of bracts or leaves of the Involucre. 



FIG. 222. Head of flowers of Succory, cut through lengthwise and enlarged 



