4o Field, Forest, and Wayside Flowers 
dandelion. Each is like a slender, hollow staff of 
silver, surmounted by a little flag of gold. The 
yellow banner finishes in a row of neat little 
scallops, and from this decoration we can infer a 
chapter in the flower’s history. 
Once upon a time the tiny blossom was com- 
posed of five leaves or petals, one for each of 
these scallops. After a while, for good and suffi- 
cient reasons doubtless, the little leaves combined 
into a tube, marked with five seams, or lines of 
union. Later still it was found that the blos- 
som’s purposes would be better furthered if the 
tube were split open. So it has altered itself 
into a little flag, which answers somewhat the same 
purpose as does the red banner of the auctioneer. 
It advises the passing insect that certain goods 
can be obtained here in exchange for value re- 
ceived. Inside the floret stands a close ring of 
stamens with their heads or anthers united so as 
to form a long, narrow tube. The anthers .open 
towards the centre of the flower, so that this tube 
is soon filled with pollen. 
The pistil matures a little later than the stamens 
do. It is long and narrow, and is divided at its 
summit into two arms, which at first are raised 
upright and closely pressed together (Fig. 4). In 
