266. There are all gradations between labiate and regular corollas. In those of Gerardia, of some species of Pentstemon, and of Catalpa (Fig. [263-265]), the labiate character is slight, but is manifest on close inspection. In almost all such flowers the plan of five, which is obvious or ascertainable in the calyx and corolla, is obscured in the stamens by the abortion or suppression of one or three of their number.
Fig. 266. Two flower-heads of Chiccory.
Fig. 267. One of them half cut away, better showing some of the flowers.
[267.] Ligulate Corolla. The ligulate or Strap-shaped corolla mainly belongs to the family of Compositæ, in which numerous small flowers are gathered into a head, within an involucre that imitates a calyx. It is best exemplified in the Dandelion and in Chiccory (Fig. [266]). Each one of these straps or Ligules, looking like so many petals, is the corolla of a distinct flower: the base is a short tube, which opens out into the ligule: the five minute teeth at the end indicate the number of constituent petals. So this is a kind of gamopetalous corolla, which is open along one side nearly to the base, and outspread. The nature of such a corolla (and of the stamens also, to be explained in the next section) is illustrated by the flower of a Lobelia, Fig. [285].