FLOWERS AND THEIR USES 



261 



the rose have small green or greenish sepals and larger 

 white or colored petals. 



272. Number and Arrangement of the Parts of Flowers. 

 In some flowers, some or all of the parts are present in 

 large numbers. For example, the white water lily has a 

 large and indefinite number of petals and stamens; the 



strawberry flower has a large 

 number of stamens and pis- 

 tils. On the other hand, 

 many flowers, like that of 

 the bean, have a compara- 

 tively small and fixed num- 



FIG. 152. The floral struc- 

 tures of Anthurhnn andreanum, 

 a plant belonging to the same 

 family (Araceae) as the Jack-in- 

 the-pulpit. The large, heart- 

 shaped spathe is gorgeously col- 

 ored, serving to attract insects. 



FIG. 153. A lily flower, cut in 

 half lengthwise ; a, sepal ; b, petal ; 

 c, anther; d, filament; e, stigma; 

 /, style ; g, ovary. 



ber of each kind of parts. The flowers with large numbers 

 of parts are in that respect more primitive ; their parts are 

 usually arranged in a spiral. Notice, in this connection, 

 the arrangement of the petals of the white water lily. 

 From this condition of a large, indefinite .number of parts, 

 spirally arranged, the advance has been in the direction 

 of a smaller and fixed number of parts, which are usually 



