88 MINUTE MARVELS OF NATURE 



with separate sexual blossoms, are almost certain 

 to have all their female flowers fertilised by pollen 

 from neighbour flowers, and so a measure of cross- 

 fertilisation is brought about, which results in 



Fig. 55. Stamens from various flowers, showing pollen-sacs or anthers 

 (slightly magnified) 



better seed than those produced by pollen from 

 the same flower. 



Now that we have seen what a stamen is, we 

 may look into a few flowers for them, and we 

 shall notice at once that, while some have no 

 stalks, but consist of anthers or pollen-sacs only, 

 the greater number are stalked and often con- 

 spicuous. A few of these are shown slightly 

 magnified in Fig. 55, the first being that of the 

 fuchsia, with white pollen-grains bursting from 



