OUTLINES OP BOTANY. XX111 



cence, and under each pedicel ; bracteoles are usually two, one on each side, on 

 the pedicel or close under the flower, or even upon the calyx itself ; but bracts 

 are also frequently scattered along the branches without axillary pedicels ; and 

 when the differences between the bracts and bracteoles are trifling or immaterial, 

 they are usually all called bracts. 



78. When three bracts appear to proceed from the same point, they will, 

 on examination, be found to be really either one bract and two stipules, or one 

 bract with two bracteoles in its axil. When two bracts appear to proceed from 

 the same point, they will usually be found to be the stipules of an undeveloped 

 bract, unless the branches of the inflorescence are opposite, when the bracts 

 will of course be opposite also. 



79. When several bracts are collected in a whorl, or are so close together as 

 to appear whorled, or are closely imbricated round the base of a head or um- 

 bel, they are collectively called an Involucre. The bracts composing an in- 

 volucre are described under the names of leaves, leaflets, bracts or scales, ac- 

 cording to their appearance. Phyllaries is a useless term, occasionally applied 

 to the bracts or scales of the involucre of Compositce. An Involucel is the 

 involucre of a partial umbel. 



80. When several very small bracts are placed round the base of a catyx or of 

 an involucre, they ha^e been termed a calycide, and the calyx or involucre said 

 to be calyculate, but these terms are now falling into disuse, as conveying a 

 false impression. 



81. A Spatha is a bract or floral leaf enclosing the inflorescence of some 

 Monocotyledons. 



82. Palece, Pales, or Chaff, are the inner bracts or scales in Composite, 

 Graminece, and some other plants, when of a thin yet stiff consistence, usually 

 narrow and of a pale colour. 



83. Glumes are the bracts enclosing the flowers of Cyperacece and Graminea. 



§ 8. The Flower in General. 



84. A complete Flower (15) is one in which the calyx, corolla, stamens, and 

 pistils are all present ; a perfect flower, one in which all these organs, or such 

 of them as are present, are capable of performing their several functions. There- 

 fore, properly speaking, an incomplete flower is one in which any one or more 

 of these organs is wanting ; and an imperfect flower, one in which any one or 

 more of these organs is so altered as to be incapable of properly performing 

 its functions. These imperfect organs are said to be abortive if much reduced 

 in size or efficiency, rudimentary if so much so as to be scarcely perceptible. 

 But, in many works, the term incomplete is specially applied to those flowers in 

 which the perianth is simple or wanting, and imperfect to those in which either 

 the stamens or pistil are imperfect or wanting. 



85. A Flower is 



dichlamydeous, when the perianth is double, both calyx and corolla being 

 present and distinct. 



mono chl amy d eons, when the perianth is single, whether by the union of 

 the calyx and corolla, or the deficiency of either. 



asepalous, when there is no calyx. 



apetalous, when there is no corolla. 



naked, when there is no perianth at all. 



hermaphrodite or bisexual, when both stamens and pistil are present and 

 perfect. 



male or staminate, when there are one or more stamens, but either no pistil 

 at all or an imperfect one. 



female or pistillate, when there is a pistil, but either no stamens at all, or 

 only imperfect ones. 



