THE FLOWER. 51 



114. There are some plants, that you shall have described 

 to you iu the future, whose stamens and pistils are in 

 separate flowers, and others again on separate plants. And 

 as the pollen of these plants is very light and very abund- 

 ant, the winds and the insect world easily transport it from 

 plant to plant, and from tree to tree, and thus secure the 

 fertilization of the pistillate blooms. The palm, olive, mul- 

 berry, Indian corn, pumpkin, and strawberry, are all mem- 

 bers of these families. 



Sectiok IV. — Pistils. 



115. In the center of the flower we find the j^^stiL It 

 also consists of three parts, the germ or ovary, 



....c the style, and the stigma. This organ has not 

 been inaptly compared to a column capital. 



.....^ in architecture; the germ corre- 

 sponding to the base or pedestal, 

 i% ^ the style to the shaft, and the stigma 

 If to the capital. The germ is the 



• j,^^ base of the style, and on fertilization develops 



Pimi. into ovules, ovar}^, and receptacle. The style is 



^r^J^7' the hollow thread-like tube sprino^ins: from the 

 6-Style. . / ^ -? . 



c— stigma, germ and supporting the stigma. It is some- 

 times so shgrt as to appear entirely wanting. It is then 

 said to be sessile, that is, having no stalk. 



116. It is through the style that the pollen tube is trans- 

 mitted to the germ. Upon the top of the style rests the ■ 

 stigma, which is properly only its development, just as I 



114. Are the stamens and pistils ever in separate flowers ? How is the pollen 

 transported ? Mention some plants whose stamens and pistils are in separate 

 flowers. 



115. Where is the pistil found ? Of what does it consist ? What is the germ ? 

 The style ? \Vhen sessile ? 



116. Through what is the pollen transmitted ? Where is the stigma, and what 

 is its use ? To what is it compared ? Has it an epidermis ? What is said of a 

 secreted fluid ? With what is the stigraatic surface fllkd ? 



