80 STAMENS. 



There ?a'e various parts about a flower which need to be 

 noticed before we pass from this subject. The small branch 

 which bears a single flowei or bunch of flowers, is called the 

 peduncle. When the peduncle bears many flowers the little 

 organ that supports each flower is called a pedicel. Some- 

 times the peduncle is itself divided and its divisions are called 

 branches. 



When the peduncle rises from the earth and bears the flow- 

 er, it is called a scape. A racliis is a peduncle that proceeds 

 through the center of the infloresence from the base to the 

 apex. It is also called the axis. 



When the part that bears the flower instead of being length- 

 ened into a rachis forms an enlarged and flattened surface at 

 its extremity, on which the flowers are arranged, it is called 

 a receptacle. 



Stamens. 



90. Immediately within the corolla are situated a row of 

 organs called stamens. The stamens, like the calyx and co- 

 rolla, are moditications of leaves. They usually consist of 



three parts, filament, anther and pollen. The 

 !---€* filament is the thread-like organ which supports 

 the anther (fig. 89, h.) This is not necessary to 

 the functions of the stamens any more than a 

 J petiole is necessary to a leaf. The anther is the 

 knob, usually yellow or brown, situated oh the 

 summit of the filament, (fig. 89, a,) or if the 

 filametbe absent, it sits upon the receptacle. The 

 pollen is the yellow dust-like substance contained within the 

 anther, and is necessary in the vegetable economy to the per- 

 fection of the seed. 



91. The arrangement of the stamens is usually alternate 

 with the petals or their segments, and of course opposite those 

 of the calyx. It was on this circumstance that Linnaeus 

 founded his test for the distinction of calyx and corolla. If 

 the stamens were opposite the segments of the floral envelop, 

 he called it a calyx ; if alternate, it was to be called a corolla. 

 When but one row of each is developed this is no doubt an 

 undeviating criterion ; but it may happen, supposing the real 

 corolla to be present, that the whorl of stamens next above it 

 is suppressed and the second whorl only developed ; in such 

 cases, the stamens would necessarily be opposite the segment, 

 but by the application of Linnaeus' criterion the inner envelop 

 would be a calvx and the outer the corolla, as in the whole 



