STAMENS AND PISTILS. 41 



Stamens and Pistils. 



The Stamens and Pistils are known to be 

 modifications of leaves, because they very fre- 

 quently are transformed into petals which are 

 demonstrably such ; aiKl because they occa- 

 sionally revert to the state of leaves. In the 

 double poppy the stamens change into petals, 

 in the double anemone and ranunculus the 

 pistils undei'go the same transformation. 



The stamens bear at their summits an organ, 

 called the anther, which contains a powder 

 called poUen. 



When the anther is full grown it opens and 

 ejects the pollen, either dispersing it in the 

 air in consequence of the elasticity with which 

 it opens ; or depositing it upon the summit of 

 the pistil called stigma ; or exposing it to the 

 action of wind, or such other disturbing causes 

 as may liberate it from its case. 



The pollen consists of exceedingly minute 

 hollow balls, or cases, containing myriads of 

 particles called granules, which are the fer- 

 tilising principle of the stamens. 



The pistil has at its base one or more 

 cavities or cells called in a ripe state seed ves- 

 4* 



