THE FLOWER 45 



flower thus consists of a simple axis with spirally-arranged 

 carpels; it has a short stalk, which is continuous with the 

 receptacle. 



DEFINITION OF A FLOWER. 



Widely different as they are, the flowers of the Scotch 

 Pine and Buttercup agree in that each consists of a simple 

 axis bearing lateral members unlike itself. Thus the flower 

 agrees with a simple shoot as regards its component parts, and 

 there are reasons for regarding the flower as actually equivalent 

 to a shoot — (i.) a flower always occupies the position of a shoot : 

 it either terminates a shoot {e.g. Tulip, Bulbous Buttercup), or is 

 in the axil of a foliage-leaf (e.g. Poor-man's Weather-glass), or of 

 a bract {e.g. Scotch Pine, Hyacinth). Thus the receptacle of a 

 flower is a simple stem, because it is continuous with a stem 

 which bears leaves, or is axillary in position, (ii.) The lateral 

 floral members — sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels — are 

 leaves, as is proved by the following considerations : — 



{a) Like leaves, they are arranged laterally on stems in 

 whorls {e.g. petals of the Buttercup), or in spirals {e.g. stamens 

 and carpels of the Buttercup and Scotch Pine). 



{b) They are often distinctly leaf-like in form {e.g. sepals 

 and petals of the Buttercup, stamens and carpels of the Scotch 

 Pine). 



{c) Frequently plants possess lateral members, which are 

 arranged like leaves and assume forms intermediate between 

 bracts, sepals, petals, or stamens. Thus in the Christmas 

 Rose there are all stages of transition between the foliage- 

 leaves, bracts, and sepals. In the White Water-lily there are 

 numerous lateral 'floral members which in form are inter- 

 mediate between petals and stamens. 



{d) The flowers of a plant may assume peculiar abnormal 

 forms in which the lateral floral members are strangely 

 modified; such flowers are described as being monstrous. In 

 " Double Buttercups " some of the stamens are replaced by 

 petals ; in green roses green leaves appear in place of carpels. 



{e) Lateral floral members differ from ordinary leaves in that 

 they have no buds in their axils; but in some monstrous 

 flowers buds do appear in their axils. 



Thus the position of a flower and the arrangement of its 



