THE FLO WE It. 



33 



clomont. Antliera aro extremely viiricd in form in dilTerent pliiuts, and aro 

 attached to tlioir tilaincnts in a variety of Avays. 



An auMiev is innate wLien attached by its base to the apex of the 

 filament; adnate ^vhen attaclied by one face to the side of the tilament ; 

 versatile wlien attached at its middle point so as to turn easily ; wlien it 

 is lixed to th(i side of the tihuuent wliicli looks toward the pistil it is 

 introrse ; and when lixed to the other side it is extrorse. 



As intimated above, the tilament is of minor hnportance. It is varied 

 in size and lenj^th, and is not unfrequently absent alto<i;cther. 



The stamens may also be each separate and distinct, or tliey may be 

 more or less united. They are monadelphous when united by their fila- 

 ments into one set; diadelphous in two sots; polyadelphous in 

 several sets; and syngenesious when united into one set by their 

 anthers, as in the 6'ym/josite (Figs. GO and Gl).' 



Fig. 58.— Irregular flower of sage. Enlarged. 



FiC. 69.— Common forms of stamens anil anthera. 



The pistils are the organs which are fertilized and boar the seeds. 

 Their position is in the centi'o of the flower ; like the other floral organs, 

 their number is variable — there may be one or many. 



A pistil may commonly be distinguished into three parts, namely, the 

 ovary, the style, and tlie stigma (Fig. G2). Of these the first and last 

 are always present, but the style may be absent, in which case the stigma 

 is sessile upon the ovary. 



The ovary, as its name indicates, is the organ which contains the 

 ovules or rudimentary seeds ; the stigma is the part upon which the pol- 

 len is deposited ; and the style the intervening portion. 



The pistil exhibits an almost endless variety of forms ; hence it is diffi- 

 cult to characterize it in such general terms as we are obliged to employ 

 in this place. 



' For further details regarding compound flowers, see CompositcB, 

 3 



