PAPILIONACEOUS FLOWERS. 179 



understanding a science, thinking;, very erroneously, that tlie knowl- 

 edge of tlie one is as important as that of the other. If a clear con- 

 ception of general rules be established in the mind, the exceptions 

 will be easily learned. Irregular corollas differ so widely from the 

 regular' ones, that you will be in little danger of mistaking them for 

 exceptions to the general rule ; they constitute, indeed, a different 

 natural family, though, according to the artificial method of classifi- 

 cation, they may often be placed near to regular corollas. Irregular 

 corollas are various in their forms ; the papihonaceous, which we 

 are now considering, seem, as they stand upon their stem, to con- 

 sist of an upper and under part. In examining a natural flower of 

 this kind, a pea for example, you should first observe the calyx ; this 

 is monosepalous, that is, consisting of one sepal, ending in five dis- 

 tinct leafy points, (see Fig. 142, a;) the two upper ones wider than 

 the three under ones. The peduncle is slender and flexible, (see Fig. 

 142, g- ;) thus the flower readily avoids a current of air by turning its 

 back to the wind and rain. 



In examining the corolla you will see that it is polypetaloiis. The 

 first piece, or large petal, covering the others and occupying the up- 

 per part of the corolla, is called the standard or banner. This petal 

 is evidently designed to protect the stamens and other parts of the 

 flower from injuries by the weather. Upon taking off the banner, 

 you will find that it is inserted by a little process or projecting part 

 into the side-pieces, so that it cannot be easily separated by winds. 

 The banner being taken off, the two side-pieces, or wings, are ex- 

 posed to view ; they are strongly inserted into the remaining part 

 of the corolla, and their use appears to be that of protecting the sides 

 of the flower. Upon taking off the wings, you will discover the last 

 piece of the ccrolla, called,"on accountof its form, the keel, {carina,) 

 or boat. This covers and protects the stamens and pistils. Upon 

 drawing the keel downward, you will find the ten stamens, double 

 in number to the petals; these stamens are joined together by the 

 sides of their filaments, forming a cyUnder which surrounds the 

 pistil. One of the stamens, however, does not adhere to the rest ; but 

 as the flower fades and the fruit increases, it separates and leaves 

 an opening at the upper side, through which the germ can extend 

 itself by gradually opening the cylinder. In the early stage of the 

 flower, this stamen will seem not to be separated ; but by carefully 

 moving it with a'pin or needle, its filament will be found unconnect- 

 ed with the other nine. 



The germ of the papihonaceous plant extends itself into that kind 

 of pod called a legume. It is distinguished from the silique of the 

 cruciform family, by having no partition in the legume. Besides, the 

 seeds grow to one side only ; but in the silique pod they are alter- 

 nately attached to both edges of the partition. The legume opens 

 'engthwise and rolls backwards ; in the silique, the valves separate 

 and diverge from the base upward. The seeds of this family have 

 a marked scar, black spot or line, cahed the hiliun, by which they 

 adhere to the pod. Near this scar there is a minute opening into the 

 body of the seed, through which moisture is imbibed at the period 

 of its first growth or germination. The proper germ, or that part 

 of the seed which is to be the future plant, continues to swell, and 

 at length bursts through the coats of the seed, presenting between 

 the divided halves, or cotyledons, the first true leaves, and the root. 



Irregular corollas — In what manner should you proceed to examine a papihonaceous 

 flower '^—Distinction between the legume and sihque— What is said of the seeds of the 

 leguminous tribe 7 



