m 



THE PLAN OP THB FLOWER. 

 2r0 469 



268, Pistillate flowcf of Balm-of-Gilead. 269, Stnmlnate. 270, Diplooliniiiin Evansianum. 

 a, 6taminat« ; &, pistillate. 



422. A NEUTRAL PLOWEE is a perianth or calyx only, having neither stamens nor 

 pistiJs. Such are the ray-flowers of many of the Compositse, and of the cymes of 

 Hydrangea, high cranberry, etc., which in cultivation may all become neutral, as in 

 the saow-ball 



271 



423. Unsymmetbical flow- 

 ers. The term symmetrj-, as used 

 in botany, refers to number only, 

 A flower becomes unsymmetrical 

 by the partial development of any 

 set or circle in respect to the num- 

 ber of its organs. The mustard 

 family affords a good example. 



424. Flowers of the crdci- 

 FEES. The flowers of mustard, 

 cress, etc , are understood to bo 

 4-merons (V). The sepals are 

 four, petals four, but the stamens 

 are six and the styles but two. 

 The stamens are arranged in two 

 circles, having two of those in the 

 outer circle suppressed or reduced 

 to mere glands. Two of the car- 

 pels are also suppressed. (256.) 



425. In THE MINT FAMILY and 

 the figworts one or three of the 

 stamens is generally abortive. 

 Here, while the flowers aro -s/, 

 the stamens are four in some spe- 

 cies and only two in others. Tlie 

 missing stamens, however, often 

 appear in the guise of slender 

 processes — the rudiments of sta- 

 mens—proving in an interesting 

 manner tne natural tendency to 

 symmetiy. 



426. Other examples. In the V flowers of poppy, the sepais are but two ; in 

 V spring-beauty they are but two ; in both cases too few for gymmelrs . In lark- 



2T1, 



' Kadiant" panicle of Hydrangea qncicifoUain ; 

 the larger flowers neutr.al. 



