5G VEGETABLE ORGANOGRAPHY. 



Section IV. 

 Of the Stamens. 



The Stamens, (stamina,) or the male organs of 

 plants, arise from the torus, and are placed in one or 

 several rows or verticils between the petals and pistil. 

 Rceper has proposed to give them collectively the name 

 of Andrceceum, in order to have a collective term ana- 

 logous to those of corolla as concerns the petals, and 

 calyx relative to the sepals, and pistil to the carpels. 



The number of stamens is very variable in the 

 different genera — from two to a hundred: when but one 

 is found, it results only from the abortion of the other 

 or others which form with it the regular verticil. 



When they are disposed upon only one row, their 

 number is usually equal to that of the petals or sepals; 

 and they arise either opposite the sepals and between the 

 petals, or, what is more seldom, between the former and 

 opposite the latter. We sometimes find several stamens 

 which arise in one row before each sepal; then the total 

 number is the product of the number of sepals, multiplied 

 by that of the stamens placed before each of them. 



When they are disposed in two circular rows, there is 

 almost always one opposite each petal, and one before 

 each sepal ; and the total number is double that of each 

 of these organs. Sometimes, when the petals are absent, 

 the stamens are found situated alternately opposite and 

 between each sepal : if there be more than two rows, 

 the third is situated opposite the first, the fourth oppo- 

 site the second, so that the whole number of a regular 

 flower is the product of the number of rows multiplied 

 by that of one of the rows, which is usually equal in 

 number to that of the petals or sepals. 



