THE STUDY OF THE DANDELION. 



13 



nute one-seeded ovary, a pappus and corolla, five sta- 

 mens with anthers grown together, and a long, slender 

 style. The corolla is tube-shaped, with five long, slen- 

 der teeth, not strap-shaped as in the dandelion. 



If we continue by comparing 

 the three already studied with 

 the anemone, wild anemone 

 during spring or summer, and 

 garden anemone (see Fig. 9) 

 during the fall, we find that 

 the buttercup, while quite un- 

 like the anemone in general ap- 

 pearance, has flowers with simi- 

 lar parts, but without a calyx, 

 arranged in the same way. 



We are led by this compari- 

 son to put the dandelion and 

 thistle together, and the butter- 

 cup and anemone together. We 

 learn from the books that the 

 first two belong to the compo- 

 site family of flowering plants, and the last two to the 

 crowfoot family. We have compared our dandelion 

 with other forms of plants, and placed it in a class 

 with plants closely resembling it; that is, we have, to 

 some extent, classified it. 



What is the educational value of comparing and class- 

 ifying different forms, as compared with the educational 

 value of studying the dandelion as a form by itself, 

 unrelated to other plant forms? 



Fig. 8. Single Flower (Floret) 

 of Thistle, Enlarged. 



