

88 INFLORESCENCE. 



surface of water : It is oblong, globular, or triangular, smooth or with 

 points and is sometimes connected by threads. It is essential for the 

 production of seeds and the propagation of the species. In the East 

 Indies, where palms are cultivated, branches of the wild palm are 



gathered and the pollen strewed over the cultivated plants. 



Pistilate flowers are fertile, staminate flowers, are infertile. 



The cut shows the pollen thrown out when the anther bursts. 



Insects fertilize some flowers by the pollen they bear upon their 



bodies, when in search of honey. 



Rains and moist weather are often injurious to plants when flower- 

 ing, as the pollen is thereby often lost ; but most flowers preserve it by 

 holding down their heads in the absence of the sun. The pollen is 

 also conveyed by winds upon pistilate flowers, as may be seen often 

 times in a cloud of dust over forest trees. In every conceivable way 

 nature has provided for the accomplishment of this important purpose, 

 both in the form and situation of the organs and the means of com- 

 munication. The trees of warm climates generally have stamens and 

 pistils on the same corolla, but in cold climates these are on separate 

 flowers. In some, as in the parnassus, the stamens lean over the stig- 

 ma successively and shed their pollen on them. Some anthers, as in 

 the laurel, are confined in the corolla till the proper time, when they 

 are suddenly liberated, and by the force of the spring scatter the pollen 

 in a stream over the stigma. The slightest touch at 

 this time will produce the effect. 



The calyx, corolla, stamen, pistil, anther, and stig- 

 ma are seen in this cut. 



The use of the sexes, or stamens and pistils, is to per- 

 petuate the species. Without them no seeds are capable of vegeta- 

 tion. They exist in all plants. The process of fecundation we have 

 before explained. The flower is formed before the fruit in all cases. 

 In Monaecious plants the stamens and pistils are on the same plants, 

 but on different flowers, as in indian corn, where the stamens are on 

 the panicle or top and the pistils are within the husk, forming long fil- 

 aments or the silk. Pumpkins, cucumbers, gourds, etc., are of this kind. 

 Inflorescence. This is the mode of flowering in plants. The corolla 

 in reference to its organs, is important in this subject. We have 

 said that the monopetalous corolla supports the stamens, which in 

 number correspond to the divisions in the limb or top of the corolla. 

 These stamens are inserted on the calyx or receptacle in polypetalous 

 corollas and are double the number of petals, generally, as in the 

 pink. When inserted below the germ, the corolla is hypogynous, or 

 inferior to the style, as with the stramonium ; when inserted into 

 the calyx, surrounding the germ, as with the currant, it is perigynous, 

 or enveloping the style, and when inserted upon the germ, as with the 

 honey-suckle, it is epygyncus, upon, or superior to the germ. 



