THE LARGEST FLOWERS. 219 



lily^ is called the corolla^ which, you know, 

 means little crown. The leaves, which com- 

 pose that corolla, are called the petals. 



But these parts are not essential to the pro- 

 duction of fruit or seeds, called fructification. 

 The fig, the oak, and the beech, have a minute 

 substitute for the flower ; but they have no 

 corolla — no petals. Some very small plants 

 have this again very large in proportion ; as 

 the dwarf gentian, whose flower, in April, is 

 bigger than the plant itself." 



I suppose," said Mr. Longhurst, that 

 the largest flower ever known was that disco- 

 vered in Sumatra ; a climbing plant, the bud 

 of which is larger than a goose, measuring, 

 when full-blown, three feet over, and weighing 

 fifteen pounds !" 



That is, indeed, enormous ! I think the 



