NATURAL HISTORY. 2:35 
V. FLORES.—-FLOWERS. 
‘Tue flowers.of plants are divided into four parts : 
The cup, CALYX; the petal, or flower leaf, coROL- 
LA; the ftamen, STAMINA ; and the pointal, PIS- 
‘TILLUM. 
THE CUP OF THE FLOWER is that which inclofes, 
and fuftains the flower; and is divided into feven 
forts; the PERIANTHIUM, INVOLUCRUM, SPATHA, 
GLUMA, AMENTUM, CALYPTRA and VOLVA. 
THE PERIANTHIUM is the moft common of the 
flower ¢up; confifts often of many parts; fometimes 
of only one part, feparated half way into feveral di- 
vifions, as the India pink ; and ania S. furrounds the 
bottom of the flower. - 

THE INVOLUCRUM embraces many flowers col- 
leéted together, and which have each of them a peri- 
anthium. 
THE SPATHA isa fheath, which covers one or more 
flowers, that are generally without a perianthium ; 
it confifts of a membrane, faftened to the ftock ; and 
differs in its figure and tubftance. 
. 
GuiuMa i isa fort of chaff, which particulaaly-cov- 
ers grain and grafs feeds. 
« ‘THEIULUS, or AMENTUM, is a mafs tot malea or 
| female flowers covered with fmall {cales, and faftened 
toan axis, in the form of a rope, as the irregular 
flowers of the violet. 


THE CALYPTRA, or COIF, isa thin, conical, mem- 
branous cover to the’ parts which generate fruitage. 
THE VOLVA, or PURSE, is a thick covering inclof- 
ing feveral {pecies of muthroom productions. 


