SPRING FLOWERS 151 



duction. In multiplying the number of individuals of any 

 particular variety of Tulip, horticulturists rely entirely on this 

 vegetative mode of reproduction. Each new individual produced 

 in this way represents a detached lateral bud of the parent. 



The flower, with all its parts developed, has been seen to be 

 already present in the bulb at the time of planting. The outer- 

 most leaves of the flower are at first closely folded over the more 

 delicate inner structures, and are firm and green. As the flower 

 becomes ready to open the outer leaves become brightly coloured, 

 and there is often little difference to be made out between the 

 two series of floral leaves, both being delicate in texture and 

 coloured. Each flower has thus two whorls of three perianth 

 leaves, between which no distinction of calyx and corolla can be 

 made. The leaves of the inner whorl alternate with the three 

 outer perianth leaves. The other parts of the flower follow 

 in regularly alternating whorls of three. There are two whorls 

 of stamens and three carpels united together to form the pistil. 

 The latter stands in the centre of the flower and occupies the 

 summit of the floral receptacle. 



The perianth leaves are brightly coloured, red and yellow in 

 various shades and combinations being the prevailing colours. 

 White varieties are also common. The stamens have short, 

 thick stalks and large erect anthers, which shed their pollen in- 

 wards towards the centre of the flower. The pollen is somewhat 

 sticky, and does not fall out of the open anthers. Each stamen 

 is joined to the base of the perianth segment opposite which it 

 stands, and when this is removed the stamen comes also. 



The pistil is a green three-sided column surmounted by three 

 diverging, rough, yellowish surfaces. The lower portion is the 

 ovary, the three-lobed summit the stigma. The number of 

 lobes of the latter indicates that the pistil is composed of 

 three carpels united together, and further evidence of this is 

 obtained by cutting the ovary across. On examining the cut 

 surface with a lens three cavities will be seen, separated by parti- 

 tions that run inwards from the flat sides. The three projecting 

 angles of the ovary correspond to the midribs of the three carpels. 

 The ovules are borne on the margins of the carpels, which 

 meet in the centre. The two rows of ovules present in each 



