FLOWERS. 159 



177. In Icosandrous and Polyandrous plants either the 

 stamens or the pistilla are always very numerous when the 

 Flowers are in a natural state ; and it is chiefly in such plants, 

 that double Flowers occur, when they become transformed. 



178. It is therefore in such plants that double Flowers are 

 to be principally expected. 



179. In proportion as the sexes of Flowers habitually become 

 few in number, do the instances of double Flowers become rare. 



180. Double Flowers are therefore least to be expected in 

 Plants with fewest stamens. 



181. Whenever the component parts of a Flower adhere 

 by their edges, as in monophyllous calyxes, monopetalous 

 corollas, and monadelphous, or di— , or poly-adelphous stamens, 

 the tendency to an unnatural multiplication of parts seems 

 checked. 



182. Therefore in such cases double Flowers are little to be 

 expected ; they are in fact, very rare. 



183. Proliferous Flowers are those in which parts that 

 usually have all their axillary buds dormant, accidently deye- 

 lope such buds ; as in the Hen and Chickens Daisy, in which 

 the bracteae of the invoiucrum form other Daisy -heads in their 

 axilla?; or, as in certain Roses, in which the carpellary 

 leaves develope leaf-buds in their axillae, so that the flower 

 becomes a branch, the lower leaves of which are coloured and 

 transformed, and the upper green, and in their ordinary state. 



184. Discoid compound Flowers are those in which the 

 central florets of a flower-head accmire corollas, like those of 

 the circumference, as in the Dahlia ; the cultivated variety of 

 which should be called discoid, and not double. 



185. These two last are so essentially different from double 

 flowers, that whatever laws may be supposed to govern the 

 production or amelioration of double Flowers, can have no 

 relation to proliferous or discoid compound Flowers. 



VII. Sexes 



186. The sexes consist of two or more whorls of transformed 

 leaves, of which the outer are called Stamens (188), and the 

 inner Pistillwn. (191.) 



187. They are known to be modifications of leaves, because 

 they very frequently are transformed into petals which are 

 demonstrably such (149 ) ; and because they occasionally 

 revert to the state of leaves- 



188- The stamens bear at their apex an organ, called the 

 anther, which contains a powder called pollen. 



189. When the anther is full grown it opens and emits the 

 pollen, either dispersing it in the air in consequence of the 

 elasticity with which it opens; or depositing it upon the 

 stigma (191.) ; or exposing it to the the action of wind, or such 

 other disturbing oauses as may liberate it from its case. 



