100 



Principles of Plant Culture. 



scale-like parts at the base, g. g., are called glumes. The 

 similar pair above, tipped with a bristle (the awn or 

 beard) are called the lower or outer pales or palets 

 (pa'-lets) or flowering glumes— to distinguish them from 

 the smaller and more delicate upper or inner palets 

 which are just above and inclosed within the outer 



^<' 



Fig. 53. 



Fig. 54. 



Fig. 55. 

 (After LaMaout and 



Fig. 53. Spikelet of wheat ; st, stamens. 

 Dacaisne.) 



Fig. 64. The same dissected ; x, axis of spikelet ; g, glumes ; bl, 

 b2. outer pales ; Bl, B2, flowers displaced from the axis of outer 

 pales; ps, inner pales; a, anthers; f, ovary. (After Prantl.) 



Fig. 55. Flower of wheat, enlarged ; st, stamens ; p, pistil ; o, ovary. 

 (After LaMaout and Dacaisne.) 



palets. Between the outer and inner palets are the sta- 

 mens and pistils, shown separately in Fig. 55. 



149. Fecundation (fec'-un-da'-tion) is the union of 

 the male and female cell by which the new plantlet is 

 formed.* The ovule produces within itself a female 

 cell which may be fecundated by the male cell pro- 

 duced by the pollen (143). The fecundated cell then 

 grows to form a young plant— the embryo (55), and 

 the parts of the ovule develop about it, the whole form- 

 ing the perfect seed. Unless the ovule is fecundated, 

 the seed very rarely develops. A flower that contains 



* The term fertilization (fer-tll-l-za'-tlon), that has been commonly 

 used for this process, tends to confusion, because this term Is also 

 applied to the addition of plant food to the soil. 



