OR APE BOTANY 



305 



The flower. 



Staminate: Having stamens and not pistils; a male flower. 



Pistillate: Having pistils and not stamens ; a female flower. 



Dioecious : Said when the stamens are on one plant and the pistils on 

 another. 



Polygamous: Said when flowers on a plant are in part perfect 

 (having both stamens and pistils) while others are staminate or pistillate. 



Hermaphrodite: Said of a flower having both stamens and pistils. 



Fertile : Said of a flower capable of bearing seed without pollen from 

 another flower. 



Sterile : Said of a flower without or with abortive pistils. 



Perfect: Said of a flower having both stamens and pistils. 



Imperfect : Said of a flower wanting either stamens or pistils. 



Peduncle: The stalk of a flower-cluster. 



Pedicel : The stalk of each particular flower. 



The time of bloom is an easy mark of distinction between 

 several species of grapes and helps to distinguish varieties in a 

 species as well.. Most species of grapes bear fertile flowers on 

 one vine and sterile flowers on another 

 and are, therefore, polygamous-dioecious. 

 Sterile vines bear male flowers with abortive 

 pistils so that, while they never produce 

 fruits themselves, they usually assist in 

 fertilizing others. Fertile flowers are capa- 

 ble of ripening fruits without cross-pollina- 

 tion. Vines with female flowers only are 

 seldom found. In most species of the 

 grape, plants with sterile flowers and those 

 with complete flowers are found mixed in 

 the wild state, but usually only the fertile 

 plants have been selected for cultivation. 

 Plants raised from seeds of any of the spe j * 

 cies, however, furnish many sterile vines. 



The degree of fertility of blossoms is also a fine mark of dis- 

 tinction in species and varieties of the grape. Fertile vines are 

 of two kinds in most species. The flowers on one kind are per- 



FIG. 53. The grape 

 flower. I. Opening bud 

 showing the way in 

 which the cap becomes 

 loosened at the base. 

 II. Diagrammatic illus- 

 tration of grape stamens. 



