ELEMENTS OF STRUCTUKAL BOTANY. 



17 



Fig. 23. 



a e uot lobed, as in the otlicr two planta, but are in- 

 dented ou the edge. They are also net-veined. 



23. Coming to tlic flower (Fig. 23) 

 we find a circle, or whorl, of bright 

 yellow leaves, looting a good deal 

 like the petals of the Buttercup, but /r V^^fe 

 you will look in vain for the corre- /J^ 

 sponding sepals. In this case there ■ 

 is no whorl of bracts to mislead you. 1 

 Are we to say, then, that there is no 

 calyx ? If we adhere to the under- 

 standing mentioned when describing 

 the Hepatica, we must suppose the 

 corolla to be wanting, and then the 

 bright yellow leaves of our plant will 

 be the se/nils, and will together constitute the calyx. 

 As to the number of the sepals, you will find, as in the 

 Hepatica, some variation. Whilst the normal number 

 IS five, some flowers will be found to have as many as 

 nine. 



24. The stamens are next to be examined, but you 

 should first satisfy yourselves as to whether the calyx 

 is polysepalous or otherwise, and whether it is free from 

 the other floral leaves or not. If your examination 

 be properly made, it will show you that the calyx 

 is free and polysepalous. 



The stamens are very much like those of the Butter- 

 cup and Hepatica. They are numerous, they have both 

 anthers and filaments, and they slied their pollen 

 through slits on the outer edges of the anthers. They 

 are all separate from each other (polyandrous) and are 

 all inserted on the receptacle. On this latter account 

 they are said to be Ju/po>ii))>om. 



