48 FLOWER-LAND. 



calyx and without a stalk, but all are set in the top of 

 one common stalk and surrounded by some little green 

 leaves which are very much like a calyx. This kind 

 of flower is called a composite one, because it is com- 

 posed or made up of many little flowers or florets. 

 All plants which have these flowers are placed to- 

 gether in one natural order, the natural order of 

 composite plants, (cf Fig. 37, a and #.) 



But now take the dandelion. Each of its yellow 

 petals has stamens and pistils, and in this case also 

 the whole flower is composed or made up of many 

 little flowers. So the dandelion and the daisy both 

 belong to the natural order of the composites. But 

 still they are clearly different from one another. 

 The difference is such that they belong to different 

 divisions of their natural order, each of which is 

 called a family or genus. 



So now I can tell you that every plant has a family 

 name. We have our Browns, or Bulls, or Hunters, 

 and amongst the plants there are the Buttercups, the 

 Dead Nettles, the Clovers, the Daisies, and the Dan- 

 delions. 



But you have another name, Mary or Kate, or John 

 or Robert, perhaps, and by it you are known from the 

 other members of your family. So every plant has 

 another name, and for the same purpose. So we have 

 the red clover and the white clover, the sweet violet 

 and the dog violet, the wild cherry and the bird 

 cherry, and so on. 



