58 



THE FLOWER 



If all of the organs of each set are the same size! and shape it 

 is regular. (Fig. 40.) The opposites of the above are : incom- 

 plete, imperfect, unsymmetrical and irregular. The, apple, 

 peach and cherry (Figs. 40 and 41) are complete and perfect; 



the lily (Figs. 42 and 51) is 

 symmetrical and regular ; 

 the corn (Figs. 46 and 48) 

 and castor oil plant are both 

 incomplete and imperfect ; 

 the apple and peach unsym- 

 metrical ; the violet and bean 

 (Fig. 47) irregular. 



Imperfect Flowers. 

 Some plants bear two kinds 

 of imperfect flowers, those 

 with stamens which are 

 known as staminate flowers, 

 and those with pistils which 

 are known as pistillate flow- 

 ers. In some cases the two 

 sets of flowers are so different 

 in general appearance as to 

 be readily distinguished while 

 in other cases they are very 

 much alike and cannot be distinguished except by a more care- 

 ful examination. Plants which bear these two kinds of imperfect 

 flowers are said to be monoecious (Figs. 46 and 48), i.e., of one 

 household. The common corn is a good example of a mon- 

 oscious plant, the tassel being composed of staminate flowers 

 while each grain with a single thread of silk is a pistil. Each 

 mature grain of corn is a fruit produced from a single pistil- 

 late flower. 



Other plants bear the staminate and pistillate flowers on 

 different individuals and are known as dioecious (i.e., of separate 



FIG. 45. Single blossom of rye; a, stamen; o, 

 pistil. 



