29 



Figs. 33 to 35 —Different parts of a flower. Fig. 33, A, the 

 petals. 34, a stamen, A, filament or stalk. B, anther. C, pollen. 

 35, the calyx, ovary, pistil united. B, ovary. C, style. D, stigma. 



{B, fig. 34). The pistil ((7, D, fig. 35) is the female organ 

 and stands in the centre of the stamens. It consists of 

 the ovary 

 at its base 

 (^, fig. 35), 

 which con- 

 tains the 

 seeds. The 

 shjle {0, fig. 

 35) is the 

 erect por- 

 tion, and 

 the stigma 

 (i>,fig. 35) 

 is the small 

 glandulons 

 body on its 



summit that receives the fertilizing powder (pollen) (C, fig. 

 34r) from the anthers. 



Flowers may be deficient in any of these organs except 

 the ovary^ anthers^ and stigma. These are indispensable 

 to fructification, and must be present in some form or other 

 or the flowers will be ban-en. 



2d. Sexual Distinctions. — ^The fact that the two sexes 

 or sexual organs, the stamens and pistils^ are in certain 

 species united on the same flower, and in others on dif- 

 ferent flowers, and even on difierent trees, has created 

 the necessity for the following distinctions : 



Trees or plants are called Jiermapkrodite (as in fig. 33) 

 \vhen both stamens and pistils are present on the same 

 flower. IS'early all our cultivated fruits are of this class. 

 Monmcious., when the male and female flowers are borne 

 on the same tree, as in the filbert flower (fig. 36, J., the 

 male, and B., the female flowers). Dioecious^ when the 

 male flowers (flg. 37) are on one plant, and the female 



