34 FLOWERS. 



Flowers. 



Flowers consist of two principal parts, the 

 interior or those destined to form and perfect 

 the seed, called Stamens and Pistils, and the 

 exterior or those destined to envelope, protect 

 and ornament the former, called Floral En- 

 velopes. 



Of these, the latter constitute what is popular- 

 ly considered the flower ; although the former 

 are the only parts that are absolutely essential 

 to it. 



Some flowers have only one envelope, some 

 none, as the willow. 



However diflerent they may be in appear- 

 ance from leaves, they are all formed of those 

 organs in a more or less modified state, and 

 altered in a greater or less degree by mutual 

 adhesion. 



The Floral Envelopes consist of two or more 

 series called whorls of transformed leaves ; of 

 which part is calyx, its leaves being called 

 sepals, and part corolla, its leaves being called 

 petals. 



The stamens and pistils arc also transformed 

 leaves. 



