THE FLOWER. 43 



generally composed of spikes or racemes, which are centri- 

 petal in their flowering. 



51. The flower is that organ of the plant which is 

 designed for the production of seed, and thereby the 

 continued existence of its kind. In a complete flower, 

 such as the Buttercup, Rose, Phlox, etc., there is externally 

 the calyx (Fig. 96, ea), or cup-like portion, which consists 

 of several parts, either distinct or united, which more or 

 less resemble ordinary foliage leaves (Fig. 96). Each leaf, 

 or portion of the calyx, is called a sepal ; within this 

 whorl of leaves forming the calyx is a second whorl, either 

 of distinct or more or less united. parts, 

 called the corolla (Fig. 96, cor). This 

 is c(ftnmonly the most showy part of the 

 flower. Its component parts are called 

 petals, and they usually depart farther 

 from the ordinary form and texture of ^^^^0^^Aa 

 foliage leaves than do the sepals. 



52. Within the corolla are slender 

 bodies called stamens (Figs. 96, 101, etc). They sometimes 

 revert to petals or sepals (Fig. 84), showing that they are 

 also modified leaves. These bodies are sometimes excess- 

 ively numerous ; and when few, are rarely less in number 

 than the parts of the corolla or calyx. Within these, and 

 occupying the central part of the flower, are the pistils 

 (Figs. 96, 101, etc.) ; in the lower enlarged part of which 

 (called the ovary) the seeds are produced. The pistils, like 

 the stamens, may be numerous, but are very often reduced to 

 one or two. It is very common for the pistils to revert to 

 ordinary green foliage leaves. There can be no production 

 of seed without both stamens and pistils, and for this reason 



Fig. 96. A Flower : m, calyx ; cer, corolla ; in, involucre. 



Tnon, 



