66 REPRESENTATIVE PLANTS 



cluster of fleshy roots and topped by the odd flower or 

 flowers. 



The flower. The peculiarly arranged and colored flower 

 parts : — 



1. The three sepals, two united. 



2. The three petals, one very irregular, called the " lip." 



3. The two fertile and the one sterile stamens, with 

 pollen masses. 



4. The stigmatic surface. 



5. The long inferior ovary, with myriads of seeds. 



Plan for cross-pollination by insects. The special adapta- 

 tion of the lip and the relative position of the pollen masses 

 and stigmatic surface to insure cross-fertilization by bees. 



Orchid family. The characterization of the Orchid family 

 may be inserted to show the highest type of the monocoty- 

 ledons : (a) root commonly fleshy, or, in many cases, epi- 

 phytic, (with air roots) ; (6) leaves typically parallel veined, 

 occasionally leafless, and root parasitic ; (c) flowers three- 

 parted and very irregular, the third petal often variously 

 modified ; (d) stamens, one, two, or three ; (e) pistil, one 

 with inferior ovary containing myriads of small seeds. 



Use. Often highly valued for ornament, but with very 

 few useful forms ; vanilla is one of the most important. 

 Obtain, if possible, a vanilla bean, break up into small 

 fragments, place in a large bottle, and cover with 50 % 

 alcohol. Stopper and set aside for two weeks. Do the 

 same with some tonka beans. Compare the odor and taste. 

 Cheap vanillas are either very often adulterated, or made 

 from other substances as coniferin and oil of cloves. 



6. Apetalous Flowers of the Crowfoot Family 



Kinds available with habitats. The Marsh Marigold, 

 Anemones, and Hepaticas are all suitable flowers for this 

 study, and are all good types of those crowfoot representa- 

 tives that are lacking in petals (apetalous). Each grows in 



