58 



OEGANOGEAPHY AND GLOSSOLOGY. 



Number of the Stamens.- The flower is isostemonous [fl.-isostemoneus), when the 

 stamens equal the free or united petals in number {Coriander, fig. 299 ; Pnmrose, fig. 

 297) ; — anisostemonous (fl. anisostemoneus), when they are fewer than the petals 

 {Valerian, fig. 301; Centranthus, fig. 291 ; Snapdragon, fig. 305), or more numerous 

 than the petals {Sedum, fig. 302 ; Horse-chestnut, fig. 303 ; Ranunculus, fig. 296) ;— 

 diplostemonous {fl. diplostemoneus) , -when 

 more than double the petals {Ranun- 

 culus, fig. 296; Myrtle, fig. 304). The 

 flower, according to the number of 

 "■^N stamens, from one to ten, is said to be 



SOI. Valerian. 

 Plower (mag.). 



302. Sedum. 

 Flower. 



303. Horse-cheatDut. 

 Flower, 



304. Myrtle. 

 Flowering branch. 



man-, di-, tri-, tetr-, pent-, hex-, hept-, act-, enne-, dec-androus ; when above ten, the 

 stamens are called indefinite {st. plurima), and the ^owev polyandrous {fl. polyandrus). 

 Proportions of the Stamens. — Stamens are not always equal : they are didynamous 

 {st. didynama, Snapdra.gnn, fig. 305), when four, of which two are the longest; this 

 occurs in irregular monopetalous normally pentandrous flowers, in which four 

 stamens alternate with four of the five lobes of the corolla, and the fifth stamen is 

 suppressed. Stamens are said to be fetradynamous {st. tetradynama) when six, of 

 which two are small and opposite, and four large, and placed in opposite pairs 



{Wallflower, fig. 306) ; these pairs 



being in juxtaposition, their fila- y^ f , ^^ ^: -~, 



305. Snapdragon. 



Androecium and half 



of corolla. 



306. Wallflower. 

 Androecium. 



307. Stellaria. 

 Androecium, 



308. Meconopsis. 

 Flower cut vertically. 



ments sometimes eoliere, so that each pair has been supposed to represent a 

 double stamen. In potystemouous or diplostemonous flowers, the whorls of stamens 

 are often unequal {Stellaria, fig. 307), but there is no special term for this modifi- 

 cation. 



Cohesion of the Stamens.— Stamens are/rtJe {st distinda, libera), when completely 



