44 
itself. The structure of the flower bud is therefore 
no less important than that of the expanded flower. 
89. Let us next consider what a flower is when 
looked at in the mostgeneral mannerpossible. Aflower 
is a series of rings, or, as botanists term them, whorls, 
all placed ring within ring. In a common Crowfoot 
we have two rings of parts, five green scales in the 
outside ring, and five petals forming a second ring, 
within the first. This is a very simple structure; 
but in whatever degree a flower is complicated, or 
however numerous its parts may be, they will be 
found to consist in all cases of rings, one within 
another, not placed accidentally or with any uncer¬ 
tainty, but always arranged in a manner constant in 
each species. Take for example the crimson Datura. 
In that flower there is first an outer portion, or five¬ 
angled green body, the angles of which are equi¬ 
distant, and the interspaces the same, the whole 
originating from a circle or ring at the end of the 
stalk, and consisting of five parts, each having a 
strong rib at its back. The second ring is the coloured 
part called the coi’olla, which also consists of five parts. 
If cut through at the bottom it actually forms a circle. 
In this case we have two rings, consisting each of 
the same number of parts. But there is yet another, 
a third ring, which again consists of five parts, and 
they too, if traced downwards to their origin, will be 
found to start from a ring just within the second. 
Thus we have three rings, that on the outside with 
strong well marked angles, forming a five- sided figure; 
the next a tube with five divisions, and then a third 
with five stamens. 
90. This is a very common structure; and equally 
common is the position in which the parts of each 
