MOBPHOLOGY OF FLOWEKING PLANTS. 



11 



Fig. 2. 



The inflorescence consists of one or morefloiuers, which, as will be 

 shown hereafter, are composed of various kinds of peculiarly 

 modified foliar appendages, or phyllomes, more or less blended 

 together into compound organs. 1'or our present purpose it will 

 suffice to describe the general and essential characters of the parts 

 found in true flowers. 



The outer covering of complete flowers consists of a circle of 

 leaf-like organs, most frequently of green 

 colour, and often forming a kind of cup ; 

 this cup or circle of leaf-like organs is called 

 the calyx, and its component parts are the 

 sepals. Within the calyx of complete flowers 

 we find one or more circles of ordinarily larger, 

 but more delicate, and generally brightly 

 coloured leaves ; these are likewise united 

 together below in many flowers : they form 

 collectively the corolla, and the individual 

 parts are called petals. 



Examples of the above may be found in the 

 Heartsease, the Wallflower, the Primrose, &c., 

 where there exist a green calyx and a coloured 

 corolla. In the Tulip the outer parts of the 

 flower consist of six similarly coloured organs, 

 resembling ordinary petals; while in the l)ock 

 they are six greenish sepal-like organs. A close 

 examination shows, however, that both kinds of Diagram 

 organs stand in two circles of three, one within 

 the other : hence many authors regard them as 

 representing a calyx and corolla of like structure. 

 Other authors give the double circle the collective 

 name of perianth or perigone. 



illustrating the 

 composition of a flower. 



petals, stamens, and car- 

 pels, all arising from a 

 prolonged axis or thala- 

 mus. 



The calyx and corolla have no essential share in the production 

 of the seeds ; they merely surround and protect the more important 

 organs, either temporarily, or as entering more or less into the 

 composition of the fruit, and sometimes they serve to attract and 

 retain the insects by whose agency the flower is fertilized and the 

 seed formed. The collective term floral envelopes is commonly 

 applied to the calyx and corolla taken together ; and either one or 

 both of these may be absent in flowers which are nevertheless per- 

 fectly capable of producing seeds. 



Within the petals is placed the andrcecium, consisting of the stamens, 

 or male organs of flowers. Each stamen consists of more or less 

 club-shaped bodies called anthers, usually supported upon thread- 

 like stalks called filaments. The essential character of an anther 



