THE FLOWER 



227 



has received a variety of names, but 

 probably the most common is poly- 

 pet alous, meaning "petals many," 

 although eleutheropetalous, meaning 

 "petals free," is much more to the 

 point. 



In the highest Angiosperms, how- 

 ever, the petals are coalesced, form- 

 ing a more or less tubular organ 

 (Figs. 208-210). Such flowers are 

 said to be sympetalous, meaning 

 "petals united." The words gamo- 

 petalous and monopetalous are also 



much used, but all three words refer to the same condition 

 of the flower. Often the sympetalous corolla is differenti- 



Fig. 207. Flower of straw- 

 berry, showing sepals, pet- 

 als, numerous stamens, 

 and head of carpels ; the 

 flower is actinomorphic, 

 hypogynous, and with no 

 coalescence of parts.— Af- 

 ter Ballet. 



Fig. 208. A flower of the tobacco plant: a, a complete flower, showing the calyx with 

 its sepals blended below, the funnelform corolla made up of united petals, and the 

 stamens just showing at the mouth of the corolla tube; b, a corolla tube split open 

 and showing the five stamens attached to it near the base; c, a syncarpous pistil 

 made up of two carpels, showing ovary, style, and stigma.— After Strasbcrgeb. 



