ELEMENTS OF STRUCTURAL BOTANY. U 



parts which were not perfectly plain to j-ou on your first 

 reading. 



In the next chapter, we shall give a very brief ac- 

 count of the uses of the diflferent parts of the flower. If 

 found too difficult, the study of it may be deferred until 

 further progress has been made in plant examination. 



CHAPTER II. 



FUNCTIONS OF THE ORGANS OF THE FLOWER. 



14. The chief use of the calyx and corolla, or Jlora,. 

 eiireloprs, as they are collectively called, is to protect the 

 other jittrts of tlie jloinr. They enclose 'the stamens and 

 pistil in the bud, and they usually wither away and dis- 

 appear shortly after the anthers have shed their pollen, 

 that is, as we shall presently see, as soon as their ser- 

 vices as protectors are no longer required. 



15. The corollas of flowers are usually bright-colour- 

 ed, aud frequently sweet-scented. There is little doubt 

 that these qualities serve to attract insects, which, in 

 seai'ch of honey, visit blossom after blossom, aud, bring- 

 ing their hairy limbs and bodies into contact with the 

 open cells of the anthers, detach aud cai-ry away quan- 

 tities of pollen, some of which is sure to be rubbed off 

 upon the stigmas of other flowers of the same kind, 

 subsequently visited. 



10. The essential part of tlic stamen is the anther, 

 aud the purpose of this organ is to produce the pollen, 

 which, as you have already learned, consists of minute 

 grains, having a definite structure. These little grains 

 are usually alike in plants of the same kind. They are 



