CHAPTER III 



FLOWERS 



General Characteristics and Structure of Flowers 



On account of their colors and odors, flowers very much excel 

 other plant organs in attracting attention. Everybody is in- 

 terested in flowers on account of their aesthetic charm, if for no 

 other reason. The attractive colors and pleasant odors common 

 to flowers not only interest the scientist but also appeal to the 

 aesthetic sense of people in general. In fact many people would 

 define the flower as the showy part of the plant. However 

 showiness is not an essential feature, for there are many flowers 

 which have no attractive colors or odors and yet they are just as 

 genuine in function as are showy flowers. Most forest and shade 

 trees, the Grasses, and many weeds do not have showy flowers. 

 The flowers of such plants as the Oaks, Elms, Maples, and Pines 

 lack showy parts and are so inconspicuous that most people have 

 not noticed them, yet these flowers are just as genuine in function 

 as those of a Lily or Rose. 



On account of their showiness and importance in reproduction, 

 flowers were first to receive careful study; and in the early 

 history of Botany, flowers were about the only plant structures 

 that received much attention. At the present time there are 

 some people who have the erroneous notion that the study of 

 Botany and flowers are still almost identical despite the fact that 

 the study of flowers is now of no more importance than many 

 other phases of plant life, as is well shown by the large amount 

 of space devoted by our present botanical texts to the study of 

 roots, stems, leaves, and other phases of plants. 



In size, flowers may be almost microscopical as in some of the 

 small floating water plants, such as the Duckweeds, or they may 

 be of huge dimensions as some tropical flowers which are two or 

 more feet across. Even in the ordinary greenhouse, some flowers 

 are so small that they are not conspicuous except in large clusters, 



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