CHAPTER V. 



THE FLOWER IN GENERAL. 



Dissection of Flower- bud Resemblance to Leaf-bud Green floral 

 organs, &c. Sepals and Petals Stamens and Carpels Their 

 leaf- nature Calyx and Corolla Andrcecium and Gynoecium 

 Argument from comparative morphology and development 

 Modifications and Metamorphosis The Ideal Flower Succes- 

 sion of leaf-organs Colour. 



ON dissecting a young flower-bud of a Buttercup, Water- 

 lily, Geranium, Barberry, Tulip, Lily or Rhubarb, or that 

 of many other common plants, it is by no means difficult 

 to make out that it consists of parts reminding us of 

 young leaves, springing from an axis, overlapping one 

 another more or less, and the more external of which are 

 curved up over the internal ones, and over the end of 

 the axis which bears them. Moreover, these flower-buds 

 occupy positions similar to those of ordinary leaf-buds, 

 and may often be seen distinctly springing from the axils 

 of common green leaves : the latter, it is true, are apt to 

 be smaller than the ordinary foliage-leaves of the plant, 

 and receive the special name of Bracts, or floral leaves. 



So far the flower-bud presents essential resemblances 

 to any ordinary leaf-bud, such as was described in Vol. I. 

 pp. 9-22, and if the overlapping organs of the above 

 flowers expanded into green structures, instead of acquiring 



