6 Principles of Classification, 
some flowers, as the ranunculus, comes under the 
same denomination. The use assigned to the nectary 
is the secretion of honey. 
Stamens . — The stamens are placed within the corol- 
la, and vary in number in different flowers. A sta- 
men consists of two parts, the filament and anther; 
In the pink the filament is slender, and in the orange- 
lily and tulip it is strong and thick; in some plants it 
is wanting, but where the filament exists it supports 
the anther, which is a membranous body, consisting 
generally of two cells or cavities. The pollen, or fine 
powder,, is prepared in the anther, which either bursts 
longitudinally, or opens by pores near the summit. 
The pollen, when examined with the microscope, ex- 
hibits great variety of form and structure in different 
plants. 
Pistil — The pistil is that part which arises from the 
centre of the flower y it is composed of three parts, the 
stigma, the style, and the germen. The stigma, which 
is the upper part of the pistil, is various in form ; either 
simple,, scarcely more than a point, globular, lobed, 
hollow, or gaping. The length and thickness of the 
style are various, but it is sometimes entirely wanting. 
The germen, which gives origin to the style and stig- 
ma, is also various in its form and size ; sometimes it 
is included between the calyx and corolla, and then it 
is said to be superior , as in the strawberry and rasp- 
berry, and inferior, when, the calyx and corolla are 
above it, as in the apple and pear. 
Pericarp ,. — The pericarp, pericarpium, or seed-ves- 
sel, is the enlarged germen or covering of the seed. It 
is not an essential part of every plant, for in some it is 
wanting, as in the dead-nettle, in which the seeds are 
