FLOWER STRUCTURE. 25 I 



great majority of instances, solely for her benefit. 

 Thus, then, insects perpetuate flowering plants, and 

 flowers continue the existence of insects, both being 

 but mutually sustaining parts of one great whole. 



Let us now endeavour to follow the details by 

 which the general principles that have been sketched 

 are applied. If we take an ordinary flower — and, for 

 our present purpose, no better example can well be 

 suggested than the universal favourite, the common 

 geranium (pelargonium) of our gardens (Plate VIII.) — 

 and look at it from the outside, the first part brought 

 under our notice is a kind of cup — the calyx (c, A 

 and C) — here green, although in many flowers — the 

 fuchsia and larkspur, e.g. — it is coloured. Before the 

 blossom opens, when it is in the bud condition, this 

 cup incloses the internal parts, which are then in 

 the process of development, and protects them, in 

 their soft and tender condition, from external injury. 

 The calyx bursting as its contents develop, the 

 most conspicuous part of the flower, the corolla, 

 made up, in the pelargonium, of five, generally scarlet, 

 petals, begins to expand. The main function of the 

 corolla, in the greater number of blossoms, is to 

 attract insects, both by means of colour and scent. 

 Within the corolla we find the anthers (a), seven 

 in number, and differing altogether in shape and 

 appearance, both from the sepals — five of which 

 make up the calyx — and from the petals forming the 

 corolla. The calyx and corolla are of subordinate 

 importance, and may be regarded as protective and 

 decorative in character; but the anthers, which, to- 

 gether with the stalks (the filaments) carrying them, 



