PHANEROGAMIA : FLOWERS. 



353 



cells, which form the substance of the walls of the thecse, beneath 

 the epidermis, are developed in this way ; more rarely, merely the 

 epidermis ; or, again, the entire parenchyma of the anthers, with 

 the exception of the epidermis and the vascular bundles, is the 

 connective. 



To illustrate what has been stated in the foregoing paragraphs, I will 

 here introduce figures of the stamen of Euphorbia (fig. 205. A), with 

 the cross section of the anther (fig. 205. #), and a cross section of the 

 anther of Neottia picta (fig. 206.). 



205 



2O6 



207 



The connection of the anthers in the Composites, is usually very in- 

 correctly termed blending. In its early state, each anther possesses its 

 own perfect epidermis ; and at a later pe- 

 riod the cells of the different anthers are 

 only found adhering to one another on 

 account of secreted matter (fig. 207.), and 

 not truly confluent with one another. 



I have nothing further to add upon the 

 structure of the filament ; this part of the 

 stamen is indeed the least important : but 

 I have other observations to offer on the 

 structure of the anther ; and I beg further 

 to refer the reader, for elucidation, to 

 Plate IV., with its explanation. 



In that form of the anther which occurs 



205 Euphorbia Lathyris. A, Male flower : a, anther, consisting of two halves (thec<e\ 

 which retreat from each other in the lower part, and leave the connective free ; b, fila- 

 ment ; c, pedicel. B, Cross-section through the anther : on each side of the thick 

 connective are two loculi, separated by a septum. 



06 Neottia picta. Cross-section through an unopened anther. A, Connective. J9, The 

 halves of the anther, or thecac : a, vascular bundle of the connective ; b, epidermis ; 

 c, walls of the four loculi (cT), formed of spiral fibrous cells : the loculi are arranged in 

 pairs, which are divided by the cellular tissue of the partition- wall (septum} ; e, the 

 place where the septum separates from the walls, and where this splits, thus throwing 

 the loculi open. 



207 Actinomerts alternifnlia. Cross-section through a flower-bud (r, of natural size), 



A A 



