142 



THE STORY OF THE PLANTS. 



moved by the wind ; they have numerous 

 flowers in each, and they shake out enormous 

 quantities of pollen. This you can see for your- 

 self by shaking a hazel branch in the flowering 

 season, when you will find yourself covered by 

 a perfect shower of pollen. 



In hazel (Fig. 29) the male and female 

 flowers grow on the same tree, but are most 

 different to look at. You would hardly take 



FIG. 29. — FLOWERS OP THE HAZEL. I, B, single 



male flower, removed from a catkin. II, 

 a pair of female flowers. Ill, a female 

 catkin. 



them for corresponding parts of the same 

 species. The male flowers are grouped in long 

 sausage-shaped catkins, each blossom covered 

 with a tiny brown scale, and ail arranged like 

 tiles on a roof against the cold of winter. There 

 are about eight stamens to each blossom, with 

 little trace of a calyx or corolla. But the females 

 are grouped in funny little buds, like crimson 

 tufts, well protected by scales; they consist of 

 the future hazel-nut, with a red style and 

 feathery stigma projecting above to catch the 

 pollen. Here the flowers are very little like 



