THE FLOWER 



115 



the back of the bee just where it caught the pollen 

 from some younger salvia ! By this beautiful plan 

 the salvia is often able to ripen its seeds by using the 

 pollen of other flowers 



9. Plants that bear flowers of the pea-flower kind 

 form a very large family among the irregular flowers ; 

 and so we shall pull to pieces the flower of this gorse- 

 plant. 



10. A pea-flower — the gorse. The two lower 

 petals are joined to make a little boat, the keel. Look 

 for the cargo of the boat, and you will find that it is 

 ten stamens and a pistil. Often, too, it contains 

 pollen that has been shaken off by the flower moving 

 in the wind. Above the keel are two sails for the 

 boat ; and as the sails of a boat are its wings, we shall 

 call these two petals the wings. Notice the two 

 knobs in the wings that fit into hollows in the keel 



and so lock together wings and 

 keel. Above them all, is a 

 broad petal that calls out to 

 the bees : " Come hither ! " 

 just as the standard of a great 

 warrior called out to the 

 people to gather under his 

 flag. So we shall call this 

 large petal the standard. 

 Before the standard is hoisted 

 it serves as a kind of roof to 

 the keel. The pollen in the 

 keel is thus protected from the rain. 



11. How the gorse-flower welcomes the bee. 

 Now, when the bee answers the call of the standard 

 and buzzes up : " Here I am !" the flower is quite ready 



A Pea-flower ; side view and 

 front view. 



