54 
THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 
them is a small rose-coloured bundle, with five separate branches, the surface 
of which is soft and humid, for the purpose of retaining the pollen. This 
bundle pertains to the 
central column, round 
which are grouped the 
ten stamens {Jig. 3), of 
which many have al¬ 
ready lost their pouch 
or anther. Remove the 
ten stamens and you 
will then see the central 
column {Jig. 4), termi¬ 
nated above by the five 
rose-coloured branches 
and swollen at the base. 
This base presents five 
round protuberances dis¬ 
tinct the one from the 
other, and forming as 
many small cavities, 
which you can open with 
the point of a penknife. 
You will find in each of 
these one or two eggs, 
which are the seeds of 
the plant. These five ca¬ 
vities correspond to five 
. rose-coloured branches, 
from which they are 
separated by a very long 
neck, which is observ¬ 
able particularly after 
the interior envelope or 
corolla has faded, and 
when the fruit begins 
to be developed. It is the unusual length of this neck which has given rise 
to the name of Crane’s-bill to the Geranium. 
As an illustration of another flower, let us take 
the Buttercup (Ranunculus repens, Jig. 5). Let us 
take first of all a flower that has not opened; the ex¬ 
terior envelope will present five leaves of a yellowish 
green colour, covered with white adpressed 
hairs. These leaves are loosely attached 
to the support of the flower, and the least 
effort is sufficient to detach them. In the 
Herb Robert, on the contrary, these leaves 
are firmly attached to the support; they 
survive even the interior envelope and the 
stamens, and remain fixed round the cen- 
Fig. 1. -Herb Robert (Geranium Roberfcianum). 
Fig. 2. 
Stamens 
and pistil 
of Herb 
Robert. 
tral organ. 
w ... . j-ig- 3.—Flower 
In the Buttercup the interior envelope of Herb Robert 
is composed of five leaves, the colour of enveiopes° f and 
which is a brilliant varnished yellow anthers. 
{fig. 6). These leaves can be removed without resistance, and then you see a 
Fig. 4. 
Central organ 
of Herb 
Robert. 
