62 



THE FLOWER 



as to form small sacs containing a delicate powder, known as 

 pollen. The stamens also present different forms in the various 

 plants. They are usually borne on the receptacles, but some- 

 times appear to be attached to other parts. They are fre- 

 quently united into groups 

 and in some plants in such 

 a manner as to form a tube 

 enclosing the pistil. The 

 little pollen sacs have differ- 

 ent methods of opening 

 which may be readily seen 

 with the hand lens and which 

 will prove very interesting to 

 the close observer. The pol- 

 len is very important, ^o 

 two plants have exactly the 

 same kind of pollen. It var- 

 ies in size, shape and struc- 

 ture. The study of the pollen 

 of various flowers under the 

 microscope is very interest- 

 ing. It is carried by wind 

 and water, and sometimes by 

 other means to the pistil, 

 where it undergoes a growth 

 which will be described later. 

 (Chapter VI.) 



The Pistil. There may be one or more pistils. (Fig. 40.) 

 If one, it may represent one or it may represent many united 

 leaves. Where there are two or more pistils, they may be en- 

 tirely separate or they may be partly united. The pistil is com- 

 posed of an ovary or basal part containing the ovules, which 

 are to become seeds ; a style, which varies 1 in length in different 

 plants; and a stigma, which is the only part of the plant not 



FIG. 49. Indian turnip or Jack-in-the- 

 pulpit; a, bulb; b, leaf and spathe; c, spathe 

 open to show spadrix and flower near the 

 base. 



