THE BOOK OF ROSES. 39 



and may be truncated or cut straight off, round- 

 ed, sloped, hollowed, cordiform or heart-shaped, 

 forming two rounded lobes, pointed, acuminated 

 or needle-shaped, fringed, undulated, &c. &c. 

 The expanse of the petal consists in the part 

 comprised between the base and the summit; 

 and may 4>e downy or cottonous, either on the 

 upper or under surface, marked with regular 

 lines, furrowed, navicular, concave, convex, rol- 

 led, convoluted, wrinkled, &c. In substance 

 and colour, it may be thick or thin, transparent 

 or opaque, white, pink, red, purple, crimson, 

 clouded, spotted, variegated, speckled. It is 

 called plain when without lobes or divisions, 

 lobed, oval, ovoi'd, oblong, spatulated, &c. &c. 

 The base of the petal often differs from the 

 expanse in colour and substance, and is either 

 long, very long, broad or very broad. 



THE STAMENS. A stamen consists of a fila- 

 ment attached to the receptacle, (which serves 

 to unite various organs with the corolla,) and 

 an anther, or little yellow bag, containing the 

 fecundating powder, or pollen. When a stamen 

 has no anther, it is called barren, or abortive. 

 The stamens are to be observed in point of 

 number and arrangement. 



THE PISTILS. A pistil is composed of the 

 ovary or embryo of the seed, of a filament rising 

 from it called the style, and the stigma, a thick- 

 ened point in which it terminates, pierced with 



