Fig. [202] shows you a blossom from the sugar maple. It has stamens, but no pistils. Next you see what was once a flower containing both stamens and pistils (Fig. [203]). The withered stamens can still be seen; and the pistil is turning into the well-known maple key.
Fig. 204
Fig. 205
The great elms also put out their flowers before their leaves. Here you see a flower cluster from the white elm (Fig. [204]). Fig. [205] shows you one of these little flowers enlarged; and in Fig. [206] you have the blossom cut open so as to display its pistil, which grows into the winged fruit you saw on p. [62].
Fig. 206
In some of our city streets grows the poplar. Its flowers are crowded into long green tassels. Many of these fall to the pavement below, and lie there, looking like great caterpillars. These tassels are those which bear the flowers with stamens. Now, if we were in the woods, we should be pretty sure to find near by another poplar whose tassels do not fall so quickly. This is because these are made up of flowers with pistils. They cling to the tree not only till they have been powdered with pollen from the neighboring poplar, but till their tiny seeds have had time to ripen and are ready to start out on their life journey.
