82 REPRODUCTION OF PLANTS. 



rated,* these points in due time expand into 

 the perfect flower and if a transverse section 

 be made of them they will be found to be most 

 exquisitely folded together in the state to which 

 botanists have applied the term (estivation. 



When the Flower Buds are unfolded and have 

 expanded into flowers, they are seen to be com- 

 posed of one or more whorls of leaves, sur- 

 rounding and protecting the organs of repro- 

 duction.-j- In anatomical structure they do not 

 differ from true leaves. Situated immediately 

 within the inner whorls of these leaves, if more 

 than one be present, we find the organs of fruc- 

 tification, the Stamens and Pistils. 



58. Each Stamen consists of two parts, the 

 anther, and the filament ; the latter is a slender 



* The subject of symmetrical arrangement in the 

 parts of a plant is a very curious one, but involves too 

 much technical and botanical detail to be properly in- 

 troduced here. Whether it really exist to the extent 

 that botanists have supposed, or not, there is ample 

 proof that the general law is that of symmetry, and the 

 deviations from it the exceptions : thereader who wishes 

 for detailed information on this point is referred to the 

 6th chapter ("Morphology") of Professor Ilenslow, 

 " Principles of Descriptive and Physiological Botany." 



t If but one whorl exists it is always considered by 

 botanists as a Culyx, whether it be green or coloured, 

 if more than one whorl is present the outer one is always 



