76 REPRESENTATIVE PLANTS 



What is the shape of the tube ? (The viburnums hardly 

 ever liave tubes.) Is there any odor or brilliant appearance 

 to attract insects ? Look for the stamens. How many are 

 there and where are they borne ? Examine the pistil for its 

 parts. Examine the relative position and maturity of the 

 anthers and stigma for pollination devices. 



Draw a spray, showing leaves and flowers; also a single 

 flower. Draw a flower i)lan. 



Determine some of the ornamental or useful plants belong- 

 ing to the honeysuckle family. Why does this family have 

 this name ? 



Rank in flowers. The more of the following characters 

 any flower possesses the higher in rank it is considered to 

 be: — 



1. Ovary inferior. 



2. Irregular corolla. 



3. Gamopetalous. 



4. Various modifications of stamen and pistil to insure 

 insect pollination. 



5. Complex inflorescence. 



23. The Composite Family (Aster Tribe) 



The largest (15,000 species), highest rank, and most difficult for 

 the student to understand. Not many species bloom before June ; the 

 dandelion, fleabane, and ragwort being exceptions. 



FLEABANES OR RAGWORTS. TUBULAR FLOWERED FORMS 



General statement. The " head." Flowers of this family 

 are really a collection of small flowers of fewer or greater 

 numbers, borne on a large receptacle, and inclosed at their 

 outer margin by few or many small greenish or otherwise 

 colored bracts forming an involucre. The small individual 

 flowers are of one or two kinds : the central tubular forms 

 called disk Jloicers, and flattened marginal forms called ray 

 flowers. The latter may be absent (as in thistles) or all 



