gamopetalous corollas are called "labiate,
or lipped (Fig.
91). If the lips
are open, they are
called ringent+or gaping, as in
the dead nettle ; if the lips are
closed, as in the snap-dragon,
they are "personate"^ Other words
are used to describe gamopetalous
corollas, such as rotate^ or wheel-
shaped, when the limb is spreading
and the tube is short, compare speed-
well ( Veronica) and elder (Sambucits);
salver-shaped if the tube is long, as
in the lilac and the primrose ;
campanulate j \ or bell-shaped as in the
Fig.92.-Campanulate.
* From the Greek " gamos" marriage and petals.
f See note f on next page.
Fig. 91. Labiate corolla,
ringent.
HO FLO WER-LAND.
hair-bell * (cf. Fig. 92) ; and other words which are
easy to understand, as tubular, in a single central
flower of the daisy ; or funnel-shaped, of which the
common bindweed is a good example. In the
dandelion you have an example of ligulate\ or strap-
shaped corollas (Fig. 138).
Let us look for some examples of the gamopetalous
and polypetalous corollas as we go along.
But we must notice also the same difference with
regard to the calyx. Can you find either the common
creeping buttercup,! or the common upright meadow
buttercup, with its smooth round stem ? If you can
you will see its calyx spreading out under the corolla ;
and you can pull off its separate parts or leaflets, with-
out tearing them, just as you can do
with the polypetalous corolla.
These leaflets of the calyx are called
sepals.\\ So sometimes a calyx is
polysepalous, as in the buttercup
(Fig. 93).
But sometimes you find it all in
Fig- 93- Flower of
one piece, as in the primrose or Buttercup (Ranumu-
,v i j ,,i i ,i hts acris)'', s the ped-
the dead nettle, a calyx that is unclCj ^oletalous
gamosepalous (Fig. 87). ^"ous i x
* Capanula rotundifolia, hair-bell or hare-bell, common bell flower.
f From the Latin " labium," a lip ; " ringor" I grin ; "persona,"
a mask or false face ; " rota,'" a wheel ; " campanula]' a bell ; " ligula"
a slip or tongue (of land).
% Rammculus repens.
Ranunculus acris.
|| From the Latin (sepalum] " sepio," I enclose.
FLOWER CALYX, COROLLA, AND STAMENS. Ill
The calyx and corolla are together called the
perianth * ; but the word is more particularly used
to signify either calyx or corolla, when a flower
has not got both but only one of them.
Sometimes, however, you find an extra calyx
close under the first one. Such a second calyx
is called a caliculus (little calyx) or epicalyx.f You
can see it in the strawberry (Fragaria), or common
cinquefoil } (Fig. 94): and when you
have an opportunity compare also
the flowers of the common mallow,
and the garden hepatica. These
extra calyx leaves are considered
to be sometimes stipules (p. 99)
of the sepals, sometimes involucral
bracts (p. 103).
Fi g 94 Flower of Did you notice that I said
both calyx and corolla are
really leaves : and so also are the stamens and the
pistil. You must therefore add another to the kinds
of leaves you have already learnt about. There are
not only foliage leaves, and scale leaves, and bract
leaves, but also flower or floral P leaves, those of the
* From the Greek "peri," around ; and " anthos" a flower.
f From the Greek " ef>i" upon, and calyx.
+ Potentilla anserina, silver weed or goose grass ; P. reptans, creep-
ing cinquefoil ; P. tonnentilla, tormentil ; P. fragariastrnvi barren
strawberry are all common.
From the Latin "fas" (forts), a flower.
112 FLO IVER- LAND.
calyx and corolla, the stamens and the pistil. If you
remember this you will not think it so strange when
you see a double flower in which the stamen leaves,
or some of them, have grown more like the leaves of
the corolla.
But now we can pass on to the stamens.*
Gather a buttercup flower again, one that is newly
opened, and place one or two of the stamens upon
the palm of your hand. The dust bags of the
stamens (p. 9) are made by the blades of the stamen
leaves being folded or curled, and each
dust bag is called an anther ; t and the
little stalk which supports it is called a
fi lament \ (Fig. 95). The anther is very
beautiful to look at under the microscope ;
and there are not only different shapes and
colours of anthers, but the different
, Fig.95.-A Sta-
ways in which they open as they ripen, men . a, the
so as to let out the dust which is in ^^nt.^
them, are very wonderful. But more
wonderful is the dust itself. It is called pollen.
It is not only wonderful in its different shapes and
markings, although it is so small, but wonderful
for its use. The pollen has a great deal to do
* From the Greek " sfemon" the warp in the upright loom ; from
" histemi" I stand.
f From the Greek " aitfheros" flowering, because it belongs to the
flower.
+ From the Latin "filum" a thread.
From the Latin "pollen" fine flour, or the dust that flies in the mill.
FLOWER CALYX, COROLLA, AND STAMENS. I 13
with the formation of the seed, but I shall tell
you something 1 about that in a future chapter. You
can see the pollen grains in the opened anthers in
Fig. 109, a p.
FLOWER-LAND.
CHAPTER XXI.
FLOWERS. THE PISTIL.
Now I am going to tell you
something more about the
pistil* Here is a picture of
one, and you shall tell me
what you know about it al-
ready (Fig. 97). Yes. it is
made of a floral leaf (or
leaves), which is so curled, or
folded, as to form a bag, the
upper end of the leaf being
sometimes lengthened out
above the bag, as in the
picture, but it is not always
so. Now, the floral leaf of a
pistil is called a carpel-leaf
or carpel.\ The bag which
Fig. 96. Hyacinth, c showing j t f orms contains one or
more little things which are
Ig -
ovules in trilocular ovary of its
syncarpous pistil.
* From the Latin "pistilhtm" a pestle, to pound with in a mortar.
f From the Greek " karpos" fruit. So called because it is connected
with the fruit, which you will learn more about presently.
FLOWERS THE PISTIL. US
called "ovules"* or little eggs, and so it is called an
ovary* i.e., an egg bag (Figs. 97 <:, 96*:). We shall
look for these ovules, and learn more about them
presently. I must now tell you that the tip of the
carpel is called the stigma.^ (Fig. 97 a.) It is some-
times a simple point, or it may be knobbed or divided
in various ways. Then sometimes, as in the picture,
the stigma is removed to some distance from the ovary ;
the top of the carpel being more or less lengthened out
into a kind of pillar. This lengthened out
portion of the carpel is therefore called
the style ; J and the carpel or pistil leaf
has three parts, the ovary, and style, and
stigma (Fig. 97).
Sometimes, however, the carpel is not
lengthened out ; there is no style, but
a stigma. only the ovary and its stigma. You can
see such a carpel or pistil leaf if you look at a
buttercup flower, from which the calyx and corolla
have faded away, and examine one of its separate
pistil bags (p. 9). Each one is a carpel ; consisting
of an ovary and stigma, but without a style. (Fig.
23, p. 27.)
But now I will tell you about the different kinds of
pistils.
* From the Latin " ovum, " an egg.
f From the Greek " stigo" I prick ; stigma, a prick of a pointed in-
strument, generally a mark or spot.
From the Greek " stulos" a pillar.
There are some few flowering plants in which the ovules are not
enclosed in an ovary with a stigma. These plants are placed in a class
by themselves, and you will learn more about them in due time.
I I 6 FL WE R- LAND.
First there is the simple pistil composed of a
single carpel leaf. You can see one in the common
pea or bean. If you look at one of their flowers you
will easily see its single carpel, folded so as to form
its single ovary : and you know it very well when it
has ripened into fruit: the pod, either of the pea or
bean. (Fig. 15 d, p. 21.) Then you can seethe mid rib or
vein of the carpel leaf very plainly along the back * or
ridge of the pod : and it easily splits open both along
the mid rib at the back, and also all along its under
side where the edges of the folded carpel leaf had
joined t to form the ovary, which has now become the
A. pistil of this kind then, formed of a
single carpel, is called a simple
pistil. (Fig. 98.)
But very often the pistil is composed
of more than one carpel. This is so,
you remember in the buttercup. Look
at it again (Fig. 23) and notice its many
separate carpels, each formed into a
separate ovary. So this kind of pistil is
called an apocarpous J pistil (cf. Fig. 99).
But besides the simple pistil of the pea
/ torus, f ovary, or bean, with its single ovary ; and the
g style, 11 stigma,
/; ventral suture, apocarpous pistil as in the buttercup, with
* This is called the ''dorsal suture ;" from the Latin " dorsum" the
back ; and " sutura ; " fr. " suo," I sew ; a seam along the back.
f This is called the ventral suture, fr. the Latin "venter" the belly ;
and snlttra as above. (f/"Figs. 9&/>. 99).
I From the Greek " apo" apart from, and " karfos " (carpeJs) ;
carpels forming separate ovaries.
FL O WERS THE PIS 7 7L.
its two or more separate ovaries ; there is another
kind of pistil. You have already
seen it in the flower of the
primrose. Do you remember it?
We will find a primrose flower
if we can, and look at its pistil as
we did before, " the little round
green bag and from it the slender
Fig. 99- Apocarpous knobbed stalk like a m-een and
pistil of Monkshood
(Aconituui napeilus}. t, tender pin " (p. 10). This pistil,
/, , ;/, b. as in Fig. 98.
like that of the buttercup, is com-
posed of two or more carpels ; but they have so grown
together as to form only one
ovary. This kind of pistil is
therefore called syncarpous*
(cf. Fig. 100.) Perhaps you
think the syncarpous pistil of
the primrose looks as if it was
composed of a single carpel
leaf, and so would have called ,,.
tig. 100. Syncarpous pis-
it a simple pistil like that of til of Buckthorn (RJiammis).
..,.., . ,./i ovaries; /, receptacle; g,
the pea. Well, but you would style; ;/, stigma.
not say so if you were to cut off the style and stigma
and look at the ovary through a good magnifying
glass or low powered microscope ; you would then
see the joining of its carpels quite distinctly.
So then you have the three kinds of pistils : (i) the
pistil of one carpel, which is called simple ; the pistil
* From the Greek "sun," together, and "karoos " (carpels) ; carpels
together, forming one ovary.
1 1 8 FLO WEK-LAND.
of two or more carpels which is either (2) apocarpous
or (3) syncarpous*
We must pass on to notice the position of the
pistil and its ovary (or ovaries) with regard to
the other parts of the flower. Sometimes it is at the
highest part of the flower stalk, so that the calyx,
corolla, and stamens are inserted upon the receptacle
(p. 107) below the ovary. Then
the ovary is said to be superior^
Once more we will pick a
buttercup, and notice the position
of the floral parts upon the
peduncle. As you pull off calyx,
corolla, and stamens you see very
plainly that the ovaries are quite
Fig. 101. Flower of .,
Branca (corolla re- above them : they are "superior'
3, P- *7,
;/, stigma. But sometimes the ovary is
below them, when it is said to be inferior. ,f The
tube of the calyx is often round the ovary in varying
degrees ; but you will learn more about the relative
positions of the floral parts or whorls J in one of the
chapters on classification. It is sufficient at present
for you to understand such plainly inferior ovaries as
those of the willow herb, cow-parsnip, cucumber, or
gooseberry, in contrast with the superior ovaries of
the buttercup, brassica, wallflower, primrose, or tulip.
* rf. Monomerous in the Appendix.
From the Latin ' ' superior, " higher ; " inferior" lower.
The floral parts bting modified leaves, ff. p. in.
FLOWERS THE PISTIL.
119
But let us see what the ovaries are like inside.
Sometimes they are simple boxes, or bags, without
any partitions (Fig. 102, A B).
But sometimes they have partitions inside them
to divide them into compartments, or " locjili."
So an ovary is <: unilocular"* or multilocular* or
more particularly, " bilocular," * trilocidar, etc.,
Fig. 102. Ovaries with tops cut off (transverse sections). A unilocu-
lar, b ventral suture, r dorsal suture, B unilocular, C chambered (but
unilocular), D multilocular (5-celled), p, the placenta.
according to the number of its compartments (Fig. 102
D. cf. g6c). Sometimes the partitions do not reach
so as to divide the ovary into separate compartments,
but only partly so. Such a unilocular ovary is des-
cribed as chambered (Fig. 102 C, 123 c). These
partitions are called dissepiments^ and are generally,
but not always, made by the carpel leaves. You will
know more about them in due time.
Now I want you to notice particularly the little eggs
or ovules (p. 115) which are inside the ovaries. So let
us look for a primrose, pea, or bean, or other flower that
* From the Latin " umts," one; "mtt/tus," many; " fo>," two;
" tres" three, and so on with the other numbers ; and " loculus " (loctis),
a little place, a pocket.
t From the Latin " dissepio" I separate.
1 20 FL O WE K- LAND.
has a good sized pistil ; and choose one that has just
come into bloom. Now take off its calyx, corolla,
and stamens ; and when you have laid bare the pistil,
cut open the ovary. You will now be able to see the
ovule, or ovules, in it. That part within the ovary to
which the ovules are attached is called the placenta *
(Fig. IC2 p}, and the way in which the placentas
are arranged is called placentation*
But we will now look about for another flower with
a large pistil, and this time choose one from which
the corolla has faded away, or, as you would say, one
which has gone to seed. And so it has. You cut open
its ovary and see what once were ovules, but now
are seeds (Fig. 108). I have a little more to tell you
about flowers in general, and then I will tell you
something about this change of ovules into seeds.
* From Latin "placenta,'" Greek "plakous" " plax" a flat cake,
anything flat. See placentation in the Appendix.
INCOMPLETE FLOWERS. 121
CHAPTER XXII.
INCOMPLETE FLOWERS AND INFLORESCENCE
Fi^. 103. Common Hazel (Coryhis avellana}. Monre-
cious. Showing stamcniferous catkin, and pistil iferous
flowers. //, the fruit.
Now I hope you know pretty well about the -four
chief parts of a flower, the calyx, corolla, stamens,
and pistil.
122 FLO WEK- L A ND.
But some flowers are incomplete. For you will
remember, I think, that some flowers instead of
having both calyx and corolla, have only one of
them. Well, some have neither calyx nor corolla ;
no perianth at all.*
They vary also with regard to their stamens and
pistil. You will not always find both stamens
and pistil in the same flower. Can we find, for
instance, the common hazel or nut bush ? The long
yellow catkins, which children call pussy cats' tails,
and which I expect you know very well, are com-
posed of stameniferous | flowers, that is, flowers
which have only stamens. Shake them when the) 7
are ripe and you see quite a little cloud of their
yellow pollen. In Fig. 104 A there is a picture of
one of the flowers from one of these catkins of the
hazel ; you see that it has stamens only. You can see
the whole catkin in Fig. 103. And now if you look
carefully along the branches you will see some things
like buds from which beautiful and delicate pink
points are appearing They are the tips of the pistils,
of the pistiliferoiis \ flowers, projecting from the
scales by which the flowers are surrounded. See
Fig. 104 B C, and again, in Fig. 103 at the top of
the branch marked a.
* cf. monochlamydeous in the Appendix.
t From the Latin "fero" I bear, and stamens.
J Flowers which have a pi-til only, from Latin " fero," I bear, and
pistil, cf, JiermapJirodite in the Appendix.
INCOMPLETE FLOWERS.
123
But now compare
also Fig. 153 /;. b
is the stalk bear-
ing the flowers, the
middle ring being
s tameniferous
flowers, the lowest
ring the pistiliferous
flowers, the upper
ring imperfect flowers.
So the flowers of
the hazel or of the
arum (cuckoo pint)
are called monce-
cious* because whilst
the stamens and
Fig. 104. Flowers of Hazel ; A,
single flower from the stamtniferous
catkin ; s, the scale ; fa, the sta-
mens ; f, the filaments ; a, the an-
thers ; B, pistiliferous flowers en-
closed in bract scales, s ; with pro-
jecting tips of their pistils, ;/ ; c,
single pistiliferous flower from B,
surrounded by its bracts, c, with
tips of pistil, // (magnified).
pistil are in different flowers, both the stamen bearing-
flowers and the pistil bearing flowers, live as it were,
in one house, that is upon one plant.
But sometimes they live as it were in two houses,
that is upon different plants : then they are called
dicecious* We should have an instance of this if we
could find the common yew tree in bloom (Fig. 174),
or some willow trees, or the common hop (Fig, 105).
But you very likely know the difference in the
flowers upon the willow trees, several kinds of
which are commonly called palms.f If you
* From the Greek " monos" one; " dis" twice, double; and
" oikion" a house.
f The true Palm trees are foreigners. There is a picture of one in
Fig. 134-
I2 4
FLOWER-LAND.
have ever looked for
these palms or willows
for use upon Palm Sun-
day, you always like to
-f find those with the sta-
men bearing flowers.
F - LM Very fine are their full
rig. 105. Mowers of the Hop *
(Humnlus lupulus). A, stameni- oval catkins, bright with
ferous flower ; />, perianth ; #, sta-
mens ; B, pistiliferous flowers ; s, their beautiful yellow
stipule scale ; d, bract ; f>, perianth ; s , t - ampT1< , , hnf - harrHv IPQQ
/, pistil bag with two long tips or SCan DuC naicl ly JCSS
ends (") beautiful, I think, though
not so imposing, are the trees with their pistil
bearing flowers : smaller but bright and glossy as
the finest silk.
Before we pass on to the formation of seed and
fruit, I must tell you something about the "inflo-
rescence " ,* that is, the way in which flowers are
arranged upon their stalk or axis.
The inflorescence is called a spike when the flowers
are sessile (or on very short pedicels) and are
arranged more or less closely along the more or less
lengthened floral axis (p. 65), as in the common
plantains (Plantago). This is called a spadix f when
the axis is thick and fleshy, and generally with a
spathe (p. 101), as in the common arum (Fig. 153).
* From the Latin "/'," and " floresco " (ftoreo), I bloom.
t From the Greek " spadix" a palm branch; in which the spathe,
which is generally with it, is well been.
INCOMPLE TE FL \VERS.
125
In the catkin or amentum* the flowers have either
stamens or pistil, not both in the same flower, and the
whole falls off together when the stamens have
withered or the fruit ripened, as in the willow ( Salix)
or the stameniferous catkins of the hazel ( Corylns )
(Fig- 103).
The raceme\ has the flowers arranged along a more
or less lengthened floral axis, as in the spike, but they
have longer pedicels, all being of about the same
length, as in barbery (Berberis), foxglove (Digitalis),
currant (cf. Fig. 169).
The corymb\ differs again from the spike and the
raceme in having the lower
pedicels longer than the
upper ones, so that the
flowers form a nearly level
top.
r \\\z panicle% is a branched
or compound raceme (Fig 106).
Notice, too, the spike of
pistiliferous flowers, with
hardening scales as it ripens
into fruit and which you know
very well as the cone, as on
the pine or fir (Fig. 117)
or common larch. And the
compound spike, as in the
Fig. 106. Panicle of common
Oat.
* From the Latin " ametttum" a thong or loop,
t From the Latin " racemus" or " cory minis'* a bunch or cluster.
\ From the Latin "panicufa" the down upon reeds ; a loose
inflorescence.
126
FLOWER-LAND.
Fig. 107. Compound umbel with
umbel lules.
wheat and barley, in which secondary spikes (spikelets)
are arranged along the floral axis, instead of single
flowers (cf. Fig. 83^, p. 1 02).
The umbel* both the
simple umbel and the
compound umbel with
its umbellules or little
umbels, you have al-
ready learnt about
(p. 43). (Fig. 107.)
The capititlum \
or head of flowers is
composed of many sessile, or almost sessile flowers,
placed close together upon the receptacle (p. IO/J of
the main stem, and the whole surrounded by an in-
volucre (as in the teasel, Fig. 142). Sometimes
the receptacle is hollowed ^out, sometimes it is raised
and rounded. Compare them in the dandelion
(Fig. 138), daisy (Fig. 37,^46), and other composite
flowers (p. 48). Each flower is called a floret : those
of the centre, as in the daisy, form the "disk" those
of the circumference form the "ray."
The cyme.\ Perhaps the best way to understand
this kind of inflorescence will be to look at a plant in
which the main axis or stem terminates in a flower.
The common mouse-ear chick weed (Cerastium) will
* From the Latin " tiinbella, " a little shadow, from " tunbra" a. shade,
a shadow, whence also our word " umbrella."
t From the Latin " capnt," a head.
I From the Latin " cyma" a shoot or branch, young sprouts.
INCOMPLETE FLOWERS. 12?
do very well. Just below the peduncle, which is a
continuation of the main stem of the plant, other
flower-bearine stems branch off. Each of them ends
o
again in a flower. But just below that terminal flower
other stems branch off again, each bearing a flower
and branching as before. Sometimes instead of two,
o
there are three or more branches growing out under
the main terminal flower. All inflorescences of this
kind of growth are called cymose.
You will find compound and irregular inflorescences
which will be best described as racemose, corymbose,
panicled, umbellate, cymose, etc., according to the
inflorescence which they most resemble. There are
some which you will find puzzling to describe, but do
not be discouraged, and as you become more practised
and learn more about them your difficulties will
gradually disappear.
128
FLOWER- LAND.
CHAPTER XXIII.
FOR M A T I O N OF SEED.
WE will begin by looking
for a plant in full bloom
and picking one of its
flowers. A primrose, gar-
den lily, or sojue other
flower in whiqjn we can
easily see the ^pistil with
its ovary, and' style, and
stigma. Is it not strange ?
The stigma and style have
a channel or passage
through them, something
like there is through the
stem of a piece of elder
where the pith is ; but
sometimes the channel is
Fig. 108. Flower and fruit of jt hollow as in the
Capsicum, a, fruit cut open length-
ways (longitudinal section) showing stem of a tobacco pipe,
seeds ; b, the same cut across (trans-
verse section). This channel leads into
the ovary just as that of a pipe stem does into the
pipe bowl.
FORMATION OF SEED.
I2 9
Now in due course some of the pollen grains of the
stamen will be brought to the stigma of the pistil.
There they will stick fast, being held by a kind of
sticky fluid which is formed upon the stigma. Try if
you can see through your magnifying glass any
pollen grains upon an}'
of the stigmas of the
flowers which you have
gathered. If not, look
for a large flower that
has begun to fade,
and try again. In the
little violet even you
should see through a
good glass the little
mouth or opening of
the channel down the
Stigma and perhaps also Fig. 109. Diagram of a flower. A>,
, , ... calyx ; K. corolla : /. filament ; a,
some pollen sticking anther with pollen bags open sho wing
round it. This settling P llen P ain * { ^ ; "* the sti f ma; *
& the style ; F, the ovary ; z, the inner
of the pollen upon the covering of the ovule, S ; em, inner
bag containing the vital part of the
stigma is called polli- ovule, at E.
nation.
But it is not always so good for a flower for pollina-
tion to take place by its own pollen as by that of
another flower. Indeed this is sometimes necessary ;
for, as we have seen, the stamens and pistil are some-
times removed from one another by being in separate
flowers (monsecious, p. 123), or in separate plants
(diaecious, p. 123); and, in flowers in which stamens
10
FLO WER- LAND.
and pistil are together, you will often find that they
cannot easily be pollenised by their own pollen.
Sometimes, for instance, the anthers and stigma