166 



ZSSSONS WITS PLANTS 



iustration at Fig. 166 represents another common 

 sedge. In this case, however, the two kinds of 

 flowers are not in separate spikes. The spikes 

 are all short and head -like, and the stamens are 

 hanging at the base of each spike (a), and the 

 b pistils occupy the upper portion of 

 the same spike. The lower spikes 

 are subtended by long, leaf- like 

 bracts, b b, showing a gradation 

 into the normal foliage of the 

 plant. Since we cannot speak of 

 each spike in Fig. 166 as either 

 staminate or pistillate, we must use 

 a special term for it ; we shall, 

 therefore, call the spike androgynous 

 (containing both staminate and pis- 

 tillate flowers). 



187. An ear of corn is shown in 

 Fig. 167. The husks are stripped 

 back to show the kernels. If the 

 pupil were to search ever so dili- 

 gently he could not find stamens. 

 Are there any fl.owers whatever 

 on the ear? The ear produces 

 seeds ; therefore there must be 

 flowers, 

 pio 166. 188. Is the entire ear a single 



Flowers of a carex. flowcr with many pistils (we have 



