THE WALLFLOWER 



173 



In order to make these matters clear we shall consult 

 some illustrations. Fig. 57 represents a flower of 

 the common Wallflower a, is the flower stalk, or 

 pedicel ; c is the calyx, composed of four narrow leaves, 

 or sepals; the sepals may be green in some varieties, 

 but in most they are tinged with purple; p is the corolla, 

 composed of a whorl of four conspicuously coloured 

 broad leaves, or petals. Be it specially noted that both 

 sepals and petals are leaves, which have become specia- 



FIG. 57. WALLFLOWER. 



a, Pedicel; c, calyx; p, corolla; 

 s, stamens; b, stigma. 



FIG. 58. WALLFLOWER, WITH 

 COROLLA AND CALYX REMOVED. 



r, Receptacle; g, honey-glands; 

 s, stamens; b, stigma at apex 

 of pistil. 



lized in form and colour in adaptation to their functions. 

 The calyx and corolla form a floral envelope or perianth, 

 and one purpose they fulfil is the protection of the 

 delicate sexual organs they enclose. The sexual parts 

 of the flower include six stamens, s (male), and the 

 pistil (female), which also are specialized leaves, but so 

 greatly modified that their foliar nature is not nearly 

 so apparent as is the case with the sepals and petals. 

 Removing calyx and corolla we see the sexual parts to 



