6 NATURE STUDY. 



the style) passes through the tubular base of the corolla, 

 separating above into two parts (two-cleft), the inner 

 surface of the upper ends of these divisions being some- 

 what rough or spongy when the flower is fully devel- 

 oped. These roughish surfaces form the stigma. The 

 ovary, style, and stigma taken together constitute the 

 pistil of the little flower. Very careful examination 

 with the magnifying-glass shows five minute thread-like 

 parts (the stamens), forming a tube about the style. 

 The slender, thread-like base (filament) of each stamen 

 is fastened in the tubular base of the corolla. Hence 

 the stamens are said to be epipetalous, meaning on or 

 upon the petals. The enlarged upper parts (anthers) of 

 the stamens are united to form a tube about the style. 

 (Stamens thus united are syngenesiousJ) On the an- 

 thers when ripe is often a yellow powder (the pollen). 

 Each of these similar yellow parts, surrounded by the 

 involucre, and growing from pits in the receptacle, 

 has all the parts of a complete flower, calyx, co- 

 rolla, stamens, and pistil. (Compare with the butter- 

 cup.) Hence each may be called a little flower, or 

 a floret. 



Flowers so arranged in clusters, growing directly 

 from the receptacle, are said to be in a head. Because 

 the dandelion is composed of many of these flowers or 

 flower-like divisions, or florets, arranged in a head, 

 surrounded by an involucre, it is called a composite 

 flower. 



We can describe the dandelion blossom, using the 

 terms above defined, as : Growing on a naked, hollow 



