CHAPTER XVIT 



ON FLOWERS 



1. Examine a flower of C^ESALPINIA PULCHERRIMA 

 or of POINCIANA REGIA the Gold-mohur or Flame-of- 

 the-forest (of some), which are planted all over India 

 in gardens and by road sides, or if these are not 

 available take a CASSIA, e.g. CASSIA AURICULATA the 

 Tanner's Cassia, or CASSIA TOMENTOSA the common 

 yellow flowered bush of the hill-stations, or CASSIA 

 FISTULA the Indian Laburnum. 



The flowers are borne on stalks (pedicels) one above 

 another on a long central axis, the end of a branch. 

 The pedicel is slightly enlarged at the top, and if we 

 examine the flower, we find it consists of a number of 

 different parts arranged in circles. First there are five 

 sepals, which spring smoothly from the dilated top of 

 the pedicel. In C^SALPINIA, they are red in colour 

 and four of them are obovate in shape, the remaining 

 one being curved and hollowed out like a spoon. 

 Before the flower opens, when it is still a bud, the 

 sepals cover and enclose all the rest, the largest, 

 spoon-shaped, sepal being outermost of all. 



Above and inside the sepals are five petals. These 

 stand between the sepals, alternating with them, and 



