THE PLANT 



13 



done its work of protecting the flowers and soon falls ; 

 the flowers also drop, the next bract rises, and this process 

 continues indefinitely until the bunch is cut. There is, 



FIG. 5. A FLOWEEING STALK 



A, Flowering stalk (inflorescence) of banana, just emerged, before the 

 bracts covering the flowers have dropped. B, Female flowers. C, Male 

 flowers, ov, ovary ; st, stamens ; p, five-lobed perianth (three segments 

 of calyx and two of corolla) ; c, inner portion of perianth (being one 

 segment of the corolla), the free petal. 



therefore, a long piece of stalk hanging below the bunch 

 without bananas or flowers, from which bracts and flowers 

 have already fallen. 



There are five stamens (Fig. 5, C, st) bearing pollen in 

 each of these male flowers of the banana ; in the Abys- 



