3oo 



COMMON TREES AND SHRUBS 



The inflorescences are developed on the dwarf shoots, 

 and each is a much-branched flat-topped cyme, rendered 

 conspicuous by the massing of a large number of small 

 flowers. The flowers (Fig. 200) open in May or June 

 The receptacle forms a deep cup with the five sepals, five 

 petals, and about twenty stamens attached to the rim. The 

 pistil consists of two or three united carpels which are in 

 turn united to the receptacle-cup (2). The styles are 



Fig. 200. Rowan. 1, flower ; 2, vertical section of flower ; 

 a, anther ; c, carpels ; k, sepal ; p, petal ; r, receptacle. 



free, the same in number as the carpels, and the stigmas 

 are ripe before the stamens. The stamens are of three 

 different lengths ; the outer and longer ones stand above 

 the stigmas, while the innermost and shortest ones are 

 incurved (1). Round the base of the styles is a honey- 

 secreting ring, and the honey is partly protected by hairs 

 projecting from the styles. 



Numerous insects visit the flowers, such as beetles, flies, 

 and bees, but, if their visits are ineffective, self-pollination 

 takes place. After fertilization the receptacle becomes 



