CHAPTER XVIII 



THE CALYX 



1. If we open one of the smaller buds of C.ESAL- 

 PINIA, GYNANDROPSIS, or almost any plant, we shall 

 find the anthers and ovary fairly well developed, but 

 the petals much less so and comparatively small. 



In such cases the entire duty of protecting the 

 anthers and ovary devolves on the sepals, which 

 when their work is done with the opening of the 

 flower, generally fall off. They are usually green or 

 brown in colour, and thicker than the petals, and 

 this, of course, increases their protective power. 



In many plants the place of the sepals is taken 

 partly or wholly by a cup-shaped organ called the 

 calyx (calyx = cup), which has generally along its upper 

 margin, lobes or teeth corresponding to sepals, and 

 may be considered as made up of sepals joined 

 together at the base. In HIBISCUS, GOSSYPIUM (the 

 cotton plant) THESPESIA, and many other plants, the 

 calyx is almost or quite entire, and therefore open at 

 the top, so that it cannot completely enclose the other 

 organs except when they are very small. But if we 

 examine buds of these plants, we shall find that the 



