Plants and their children

by Frances Theodora Parsons

So, knowing that the pea blossom cannot give birth to a pea pod without stamens and pistil, let us have a search for these.

Fig. 257

As I told you, the two lower leaves of the corolla are joined so as to form a sort of pocket (Fig. [257]). Now, surely, a pocket is meant to hold something. So take a pin and slit open this pocket. As the two sides spring apart, out flies some golden pollen, and we see that the little pocket is far from empty. It holds ten stamens and one pistil.

If you look at these carefully (Fig. [256]), you see that one stamen stands alone, while the other nine have grown together, forming a tube which is slit down one side. This tube clings to the lower part of the pistil.

Now, if you pull this tube away, what do you see?

You see a little, green, oblong object, do you not (Fig. [258])?

And what is it? Do you not recognize it?

Fig. 258