THE STUDY OF THE DANDELION. 



27 



various parts of their body more or less pollen, some of 

 which adheres to the somewhat spongy and sticky sur- 

 face of the stigmas of other flowers. The flower tries 

 to prevent the pollen of any flower from coming in con- 

 tact with, or adhering to, the stigma of the same flower, 

 and to insure its adhering to the stigma of another flower. 



Fig. 11. Fig. 12 



Floret of Dandelion ; Arrangement for Cross-FertiltzaiTon. 



To insure this cross-fertilization, the anthers of tne 

 dandelion (see Fig. 11) ripen before the style or 

 stigma is mature, and discharge the pollen into the tube 

 formed by the union of the anthers. The style then 

 lengthens, and minute hairs on it push or carry the pol- 

 len above the anther tube. Later the stigma ripens, 

 and its two parts separate and curve outward (as in Fig. 

 12), each division having on its inner upper side the 



