142 THE STOKY OF THE PLANTS. 



moved by the wind ; they have numerous 

 flowers in each, and they shake out enormous 

 quantities of pollen. This you can see for your- 

 self by shaking a hazel branch in the flowering 

 season, when you will find yourself covered by 

 a perfect shower of pollen. 



In hazel (Fig. 29) the male and female 

 flowers grow on the same tree, but are most 

 different to look at. You would hardly take 



1 



FIG. 29. FLOWERS OP THE HAZEL. I, a single 

 male flower, removed from a catkin. II, 

 a pair of female flowers. Ill, a female 

 catkin. 



them for corresponding parts of the same 

 species. The male flowers are grouped in long 

 sausage-shaped catkins, each blossom covered 

 with a tiny brown scale, and all arranged like 

 tiles on a roof against the cold of winter. There 

 are about eight stamens to each blossom, with 

 little trace of a calyx or corolla. But the females 

 are grouped in funny little buds, like crimson 

 tufts, well protected by scales ; they consist of 

 the future hazel-nut, with a red style and 

 feathery stigma projecting above to catch the 

 pollen. Here the flowers are very little like 



