234 



THE STUDY OF FLOWERS. 



correspondingly placed sexual organs with the same 

 portions of their body" (Strasburger). 



In some cases self-fertilisation is rendered impossible 

 by the form of the style, e.g. in Iris, where it is large 

 branched and petaloid and conceals the anthers below. 

 No pollen can reach the stigma unless by the agency of 

 insects (Fig. 101). 



Lastly we must mention those cases of insect-visited 

 flowers without conspicuous floral parts which nevertheless 

 are visited by insects, viz. the Willows. These have two 

 kinds of flowers, staminate and pistillate, arranged in cat- 

 kins, and each has a honey gland. The staminate catkins 

 are bright yellow, whilst the pistillate catkins are green. 



INCONSPICUOUS FLOWERS. 



In contrast to flowers which are conspicuous by reason 

 of their more or less brightly coloured petals, large inflor- 

 escences, etc., we must note the many flowers which are 



ANTHER 



Fig. 102. Spikelet and flower of the Oat. Note the extruded anthers and 

 feathery style. 



inconspicuous. These are, for example, the flowers of 

 grasses, of cone-bearing trees, and most of our common 



