MODIFICATIONS OF THE FLORAL ORGANS. 173 



CHAPTER XIV. 



ON THE VARIOUS MODIFICATIONS OF THE FLORAL ORGANS. 



HITHERTO we have studied the flower, in the higher degrees 

 of its development, in a complete, symmetrical, and regular state. 

 We have to a certain extent supposed that there was no dis- 

 turbance of this regularity. Thus we have described the 

 flower as composed of all its verticilsj the calyx, the corolla, 

 the stamens, and pistils or in a complete state. We have 

 supposed the parts of each verticil to be alike in size and 

 shape, or the flower to be regular, and each verticil to contain 

 the same number of pieces or a multiple of that number, 

 separate from each other and alternating among themselves or 

 the flower t6 be symmetrical. 



Fig. 73. 



To obtain an exact view of the symmetry of a flower we must 

 observe it whilst in the bud, and trace it out in the form of a 

 horizontal section, as if all the verticils had been deprived of 

 height and sunk down to the same plane. We are thus 

 enabled to see at a glance the position of the different parts 

 of the flower. This theoretical section is called a diagram. 

 Fig. 73 is a diagram of a complete, symmetrical, and regular 



