CHAPTER VI. 



ACTION OF FLOWERS. 



STETTCTTIEE OF FLO WEES. — NAMES OF THEIB PARTS. — lENDENCr OP THE 

 PAEIS 10 ALTEE AND CHANGE INTO EACH OTHEE, AND INTO lEATDS. 



^DOITBIE FLOWEKS. — ^ANAIOGT OF FIOWEES TO BEANCHES. — CAUSE OF 



THE PEODTTCIION OF FtOWEES. — OF PEODTJCTITENBSS. — OF STEEIIITT. 

 — USES OF THE PAETS OF A FLOWEE. — FEETIIISATION. — HXBEIDS. — 

 CEOSSBEEDS. 



A FLOWEE is that part of a plant which is formed for the 

 purpose of reproducing the species by means of seeds. It 

 consists of floral envelopes and sexes. 



The floral envelopes are : 1, the calyx, which is usually 

 green, and always the most external ; and 2, the corolla, which 

 is commonly thin, gaily coloured, more fugitive than the calyx, 

 and placed next within it : each of these consists of leaves, 

 called sepals in the calyx, and petals in the corolla. Both 

 calyx and corolla are usually present ; but in some cases only 

 one envelope is formed, as in the Marvel of Peru ; and in other 

 eases the flower has no envelopes, as in the Willow. Envelopes 

 are, therefore, not a necessary part of a flower. 



In the middle of the flower stand the sexes, called stamens 

 ^nd pistU, of which the pistil occupies the centre, and the 

 stamens surround it ;' except in those cases where the ,se?:es 

 are produced in separate flowers, when each sex is central in its 

 own flower. The stamens consist of a filament ^nd an anther, 

 in the interior of the latter of which is secreted a powdery 

 substance termed pollen. The pistil consists of ovary, style, 

 and stigma, in thp. interior of the first of which are ovules or 

 young seeds. 



Although the floral envelopes may be, and often are, absent. 



