16 



THE SECOND BOOK OF BOTANY. 



lowing exercise. When you have found their mean- 

 ing, you will be prepared to study your flowers. 



A SYMMETRICAL FLOWER is one having the same 

 number of parts in each of its whorls, or, if not the 

 same, then multiples of the prevailing number. 



FIG. 1. 



FIG. 2. 



Quinary Symmetry. 



Quinary Symmetry (Gray). 



Figs. 1 and 2 represent a symmetrical flower. It 

 consists of five sepals, five petals, five stamens, and 

 five carpels. It would still be symmetrical if the 

 number of sepals, or of petals, or stamens, or car- 

 pels, were ten, twenty, or any multiple of five. 



A flower with its parts arranged in twos, or 

 multiples of two, has dimerous, or binary symmetry 

 (Fig. 3). 



FIG. 8. 



FIG. 4. 



Binary Symmetry. 



Ternary Symmetry. 



