THE FERTILISATION OF FLOWERS. 



313 



s 



however, the essential part of the pistil. In the " head " of a poppy, 

 for instance, there is no style ; the bulk of the " head " consisting 

 of the ovary containing numerous seeds, and the flat cap or lid re- 

 presenting the " stigma " of the poppy-pistil. As a final observation 

 concerning the parts of the flower, 

 it may be noted that the separate 

 pieces, or " carpels," of which a 

 pistil is composed, may either be 

 free and distinct, or closely united 

 and adherent to each other ; whilst 

 a second fact of importance in the 

 general description of flower struc- 

 ture, consists in the declaration 

 that the ripe and mature pistil is 

 the fruit in botanical parlance. 

 True, there may, as in the straw- 

 berry (Fig. 219), be found united 

 to the ripe pistil certain other parts 

 which constitute the edible and 

 desirable portion of the plant. The 



true pistil in the strawberry consists of the little yellow carpels, 

 (Fig. 2i9,/), usually called "seeds," which are imbedded in the 

 fleshy mass of the fruit formed by the expanded top of the flower-stalk. 

 But the aesthetics of taste must be neglected in the strict descriptions 



FIG. 213. PISTILLATE FLOWERS OF OAK. 



FIG. 214. PARTS OF A FLOWER 

 (CAMPANULA). 



FiG. 215. FLOWER OF SAXIFRAGE 

 IN SECTION. 



of science; and that alone is the " fruit," in the eyes of the botanist, 

 which is formed by the ripened pistil, or central organ of the flower. 

 All parts of the flower, it must be observed, are not of equal value 

 in the eyes of the botanist. Those organs stamens and pistil which 

 produce and elaborate the seed, are physiologically more important 



