146 



THE BOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



consider the fruit of the Dandelion. It may be noted, however, 

 that, since all the little flowers are protected by the bracts around 

 the inflorescence, there is no need for the calyx of each flower 

 protecting the parts within. 



The corolla is composed of five petals united together to form 

 a tube, which continues on the side away from the centre of the 

 inflorescence as a long, flat, strap-shaped extension (Fig. 73). If 

 the edge of this is looked at with a lens it will be found to be 

 divided into five minute teeth. This is the 

 only indication in the mature flower of the 

 five petals, which are joined together to form 

 the corolla. 



Considerable care and patience will be 

 needed to make out the other parts of the 

 flower. If a well opened floret be chosen 

 from near the outside of a fully expanded 

 head and examined with the lens, there will 

 be seen projecting from the tube of the 

 corolla a yellow column, and from the top 

 of this a more slender stalk divided above 

 into two lobes (Fig. 73, A). The yellow column 

 is composed of the anthers of the five stamens, 

 single floret; B, the These are joined edge to edge and form a 

 five stamens showing tu b e jf^ however, the lower parts of the 



the free filaments and i i i r , i 



the anthers united stamens are looked for, the five separate 

 edge to edge to form stalks will be seen. These bend from the 

 a tube, which is here bases of their respective anthers to the 



shown slit open. . r r ., . , , ,, < 



(After Warming.) inner surface of the tubular corolla to which 

 they are attached. The way in which the 

 stamens are joined will be understood from Fig. 73, B. The 

 thin structure projecting from the anther tube is the style, 

 dividing at the top into the two lobes of the stigma. With 

 a little care the tube formed by the anthers can be slit along 

 one side with the tip of a sharp knife, and the style pulled 

 away and traced down into the tube, where it springs from 

 the summit of the inferior ovary. The pistil is really composed 

 of two carpels, but the only indication of this is afforded by the 

 two lobes of the stigma, which correspond to their free tips. Within 



FlG. 73. Dandelion. A, 



