The stamens vary greatly in number in different kinds of flowers. In the centre of the cherry, peach, or mustard flower will be found an upright slender body called the pistil. In the peach and cherry the pistil has three parts, a lower rounded, somewhat swollen part called the ovary, a slender stem arising from it called the style, and a slight enlargement at the top of the style called the stigma. The stigma is generally roughened or sticky. If the ovary is split open, within it will be found a little body called an ovule, which is to develop into a seed.
In the apple flower the pistils will be found to have one ovary with five styles and stigmas and in the ovary will be several ovules.
In the buttercup will be found a large number of small pistils, each consisting of an ovary and stigma.
The parts of different flowers will be found to vary in color, in shape, in relative size and in number. In some flowers one or more of the parts will be found wanting.
Examine a number of flowers and find the parts.
FUNCTIONS OF THE PARTS OF THE FLOWERS
Now what are the uses of these parts of the flower?
If we watch a flower of the peach or cherry from week to week, we will see that the pistil develops into a peach or cherry which bears within a seed from which a new plant will be produced if the seed is placed under conditions necessary for germination or sprouting.
