222 GENERAL BOTANY 



-end. In some families the connective is continued 

 beyond the top of the anther as a flap or cover to it. 

 In ARTABOTRYS, ANONA the Custard-apple, and other 

 ^genera of the family of ANONACE.E, it forms a flat 

 top to the anther. In IQNIDIUM and in VIOLA the 

 Violet, it is like a thin brown scale (flap) as also 

 in the Sunflower, in COSMEA and in plants like them. 



9. We have already learnt that in some cases the 

 filaments are connected together, it may be as in 

 the case of HIBISCUS and THESPESIA into a complete 

 tube, but the anthers were in these always separate. 

 There is, however, one very important family of plants 

 the COMPOSITE which have among other charac- 

 ters, this in common, that the filaments of the stamen 

 are separate (free) while the anthers are connected, 

 .and form a sort of hollow tube through which the 

 style runs up. Anthers connected in this way ane 

 termed syngenesious. 



This can be easily seen in the Sunflower. If you 

 look at a flower-head that has been open a day or 

 two, you will find, perhaps, the central florets unopened 

 then round them others showing brown anthers with 

 small brown flaps and at the top of these a small 

 quantity of yellow pollen grains. Towards the peri- 

 phery there will be no pollen, but sticking out from 

 the top of anthers, the two branches of the style. In 

 .a day or two those in the centre will have opened 

 while the ring of florets with styles showing will 

 be broader. Thus as the floret matures, the style 

 pushes through the box formed by the anther and 

 ultimately coming out at the top, divides into the 

 two stigmas. 



