148 THE NATURE AND WORK OF PLANTS 



lower end of these styles terminates in a capsule 

 buried in the tissues at the base of the flower. 

 This capsule, if carefully cut across with a sharp 

 knife, will be found to be divided into five cham- 

 bers, correspondent to the number of styles, and it 

 is termed the ovary, because it is in this organ that 

 eggs are formed. The ovary, styles, and stigma con- 

 stitute the pistil. 



Almost any flower will suffice for observations 

 of the above character. A dozen or more different 

 kinds should be examined, noting the number, size, 

 and arrangement of the different organs. The 

 greatest diversity will be found, indicating that 

 the separate species accomplish the work of re- 

 production in a manner characteristic of them- 

 selves. 



The flower described above is said to be perfect, 

 but in others the stamens and pistils are in separate 

 flowers on the same or different individuals. The 

 petals or the sepals may be absent or replaced by 

 circles of bracts. What is the arrangement of the 

 organs in the jack-in-the-pulpit, spring beauty, but- 

 tercup, the ash tree, willow, beech, maple, and oaks ? 

 Examine also the flowers of the lily, trillium, lark- 

 spur, bean, and geranium. 



