FLOWERS. 



29 





F/Vs. 33 to 35 —Different parts of a flower. Fig. 33, ^, the 

 petals. 34, a stamen, ^, filament or stalk. B, anther. C, pollen. 

 35, the calyx, ovary, pistil united. B, ovary. C, style. D, stigma. 



(j5, %. 3i). The pistil {O, Z>, iig. 35) is the female organ 

 and stands in the centre of the stamens. It consists of 

 the ovmy 

 at its base 

 (5, fig. 35), 

 which con- 

 tains the 

 seeds. The 

 sti/le ((7, fig. 

 35) is the 

 erect por- 

 tion, and 

 the stigma 

 {B, fig. 35) 

 is the small 

 glandnlous 

 body on its 



summit that receives the fertilizing powder (pollen) ((7, fig. 

 S-i) from the anthers. 



Flowers may be deficient in any of these organs except 

 the ovary^ antners^ and stigma. These are indispensable 

 to fructification, and must be present in some form or other 

 or the flowers will be barren. 



2d. Sexual Distinctions. — The fac.t that the two sexes 

 or sexual organs, the stamens and j)^'Stils^ are in certain 

 species united on the same flower, and in others on dif- 

 ferent flowers, and even on dififerent trees, has created 

 the necessity for the following distinctions : 



Trees or jylants are called liermajpliTodite (as in fig. 33) 

 when both stamens and pistils are present on the same 

 flower, l^early all our cultivated fruits are of this class. 

 Monoecious^ when the male and female flowers are borne 

 on the same tree, as in the filbert flower (fig. 36, A^ the 

 male, and B^ the female flowers). Dioecious^ when the 

 male flowers (fig. 37) are on one j)lant, and the female 



