208 PRACTICAL COURSE IN BOTANY 
veined? If the flowers are clustered, what is the order of 
inflorescence? Does the position of the flowers on their 
branch correspond to that of 
the leaf axils on the same 
kind of plant? 
227. The stamens. — Re- 
move the petals from a flower 
and examine the stamens 
with a lens. Notice the at- 
tachment and shape of the 
anthers. Are they all of the 
same color? How do you 
account for the difference, if 
there is any? Is the posi- 
tion of the pistil and stamens 
such that the pollen from 
299 
Fies. 297-300. — Flower and sections 
300 
of pear: 297, cluster of blossoms, showing 
inflorescence; 298, vertical section of a 
flower; 299, ground plan of a flower; 300, 
the anthers can readily reach 
the stigmas without external 
aid? Examine the pistil in 
vertical section of fruit. 
flowers of different ages, and 
see if the stigma is mature (that is, moist and sticky) at the 
same time that the anthers are discharging their pollen. 
Make an enlarged sketch of a stamen showing the shape of 
the anther and the method of opening to discharge pollen. 
228. The pistils. — How many pistils do you find in the 
apple blossom (or other flower under examination)? Are they 
distinct, or united? Find where the styles originate ; what 
do you see there? Make a cross section of the ovary and 
count the locules; how does their number compare with 
that of the styles? Can you make out the number of ovules 
in each? If not, use a young fruit; as it is only an enlarged 
ovary, it will show the parts correctly. Compare it with a 
ripe fruit and see if all the ovules matured. Can you think 
of any reasons why some of them might fail? Do you see 
any signs of nourishment stored in the ovary? Name all 
the ways you can think of in which the ovary can benefit the 
