PLAN OF THE FLOWER. 63" 



are huilt upon one only jplan^ and that plan founded in the 



science 



of Qiumhers. 



Fig. 192. Flower of Hippuris, — one-parted. 



Fig. 193. Circsea Lutetiana; flower two- parted. 



Fig. 194. Yellow-eyed Grass {Xyris) ; flower three-parted. 



113. Let US, then, examine tlie Flax. Here all the organs 

 are in lives. The Circe has them all in twos; the Iris, in 

 threes. And every plant is distinguished in this way by 

 some number which we call the radical number^ according 

 to which its organs are parted. Now in the Mock Orange, 

 or Philadelphus, although the stamens seem to be indefinite, 

 still the radical number is four. The stamens occur in many 

 circles, with four in each circle, so that these are also in fours. 

 As for the pistils, they are evidently four, but so united as 

 to form apparently but one. Examine also the Bloodroot. 

 Its stamens will be found in fours, the radical number, and 

 the stamens of the Apple will be found in fives. So the 

 petals of Bloodroot are twice four (8), and of the Magnolia 

 twice three (6), or three times three (9). 



114. It is therefore a general law, that when any organ is 



113. Can you define the radical number of the flower? What is it in 

 Circe ? Iris ? Flax ? How is it in Philadelphus ? How in Bloodroot ? 



114. State the law of multiplied organs. 



