22 THE BOOK OF NATURE STUDY 



lobes into which the blade is cut are themselves notched ; the 

 lobes stand alternately right and left, and the leaf ends in a broadly 

 winged region, the divisions in which do not extend so far in 

 towards the midrib. The leaf bears coarse hairs like those on the 

 stem, especially on the lower surface of the leaf -stalk and midrib. 

 The stalks of the lower leaves are long. On passing upwards 

 the stalks become shorter, the leaf retaining the same form, 

 though its segments tend to become narrower and more deeply 

 notched. 



The flower-stalk is bent some distance below the flower, and 

 when in the bud the flower hangs downwards. This is not merely 

 due to the weight of the bud, for the curvature takes place even 

 when this is counterbalanced by a suitable weight. When the 

 flower is ready to open the stalk straightens and remains erect 

 during flowering and in the fruit. 



To see the sepals, a flower-bud must be examined, as no trace 

 of them will be found in the open flower. The bud is completely 

 enclosed by two stout green sepals, the outer surface of which 

 is covered by stout hairs. The sepals fit closely together, and 

 efficiently protect the delicate parts within. Since the bud is 

 exposed for a long time, this protection is especially important. 

 As the bud opens the sepals become detached from the floral 

 receptacle and split apart from below upwards, the red petals 

 appearing between them. The sepals do not become completely 

 separated from one another, but fall off, their use being over, as 

 the petals unfold (Fig. 6). 



The corolla consists of four large delicate petals arranged in 

 two pairs. These are wrinkled up when packed closely in the bud, 

 and even when fully expanded retain a trace of the wrinkled 

 surface. They have a beautiful bright scarlet colour, and owing 

 to their large size make the flower a very conspicuous one. At 

 the base of each petal is a larger or smaller dark-coloured region 

 showing both on the upper and lower sides. 



Within the corolla we come to the very numerous stamens. 

 The stalks of these are slender and red, and each bears a greenish- 

 black anther from which on opening the greenish pollen is liberated. 

 The stamens stand around the large pistil, which occupies the 

 centre of the flower and the summit of the floral receptacle. The 



