58 VEGETABLE ORGANOGRAPHY. 



organ, the anther which protects and nourishes it is also 

 a very important one. It is situated upon the top of the 

 filament in three different ways : — 1st, It is frequently 

 attached by the middle of the back to the very tapering 

 extremity of the filament; and then, as it is placed in a 

 vertical position before the flowering, and afterwards 

 takes an horizontal one, it is said to be Versatile. 2d, 

 In several cases it is attached by its base to the apex of 

 the filament of which it appears to be the continuation, 

 it is then Erect. 3d, In some families it is adherent to 

 the filament by its whole dorsal face, so as to have no 

 movement; it is then said to be Adnate or Adherent 

 to the filament. In this last case, it frequently happens 

 that the top of the filament is prolonged beyond the 

 anther into an appendage, either strap-shaped or in a 

 filiform point, as in the Oleander, or as a gland, as in 

 Adenanthera. Sometimes it is the connectivum which is 

 prolonged in the same manner, sometimes the cells 

 themselves ; so that the terminal appendages result from 

 verv different anatomical causes. 



Anthers are generally composed of two membranous 

 sacs, applied to one another and joined by a body which 

 is called the Connectivum. This body is sometimes so 

 small, and scarcely apparent, that it is neglected in 

 descriptions ; sometimes so large and well developed, 

 that the two cells of the anther are separated from each 

 other, as is seen in the Sages. 



We find a certain number of anthers which have but 

 one cell : sometimes this conformation appears natural 

 to the plant, and then it is only met with in those anthers 

 which are attached by their base to the top of the 

 filament ; sometimes it results from an accidental abortion 

 of one of the cells, which especially takes place when the 

 connectivum is very large and the cells very distant, as 

 in the Sage; sometimes it is owing to the filament 



