THE FLOWER. 145 
form of filamentary gelatinous elastic matter among the ripe 
pollen. The several parts of the anther are distinguished by the 
term connective, which is the direct continuation of the filamen in 
the anther. The lobes of the anther are its halves, each half being 
a lobe or hollow cavity called a cell, being distinguished as many 
or single celled. It can easily be understood of the connective 
that if the filament and the connective were prolonged 
in the same direction, and of nearly the same thickness, 
as in the Iris (Fig. 191), the anther would be immov- 
able, but that this would not be the case if the connec- 
tive were inserted in the attenuated extremity of the 
filament by a point only, as happens in the Amaryllis 
(Fig. 192). It will also be understood that the powdery 
matter contained in the cells of the anther is pollen, or 
fine dust. That the membranous sides or walls of the 
cells of the anther are its valves, and that the lines 
which pass down the sides of the anther are the sutures 
or seams. 
We have stated above that the anther is generally Stamens of Tis 
formed of two lobes, yet in some plants the anthers are wnilocular ; 
either the two lobes existing at first have been blended in one, or 
there was actually but one lobe, as in the Epacridacee, 
a family of elegant heaths from New Holland. In 
_ other plants, as the a and the Ephedra, the 
anthers are guadrilocu 
In the art of pera the lobes of the anther 
open at the sectures in order to discharge the fertilis- 
ing pollen. Generally each lobe presents a longitu- 
dinal cleft, along which the opening of the anther 
takes place, this being called its dehiscence, in botanical 
language. Sometimes the cleft only extends a short 
— towards the summit of the lobe, and consti- 
utes a sort of pore, as we see in the Heaths and 
Sclanums (Fig. 193), —— 
In the Barberry (Fig. 194) and the Laurel (Fig. 195) a very 
remarkable and elegant mode of dehiscence is observable: a 
certain restricted portion of the walls of the anther opens upwards, 
So as to form little trap-doors or valves. There is one valve for 
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