“In the mallow, which you see here, the calyx consists of five little green leaves, and the corolla of five large pieces of lilac rose-color. Each of these pieces is called a petal. The petals, all together, make the corolla.”
“The corolla of the digitalis has only one piece or petal; that of the mallow has five,” remarked Claire.
“It looks that way at first, but on examining closely you will find that they both have five. I must tell you that in a great many flowers the petals unite as soon as they begin to form in the bud, and by their union constitute a corolla which looks like only one piece. But very often the united petals separate a little at the edge of the flower, and by indentations more or less deep show how many are joined together.
“Look at this tobacco blossom. The corolla forms a tun-bellied funnel, apparently composed of only one piece. But the edge of the flower is cut out in five similar parts, which are the extremities of so many petals. The tobacco blossom, then, has five petals, the same as the mallow; only, these five petals, instead of being separate all their length, are welded together in a sort of funnel.
Tobacco
“Corollas with separate petals are called polypetalous corollas.”
“Like that of the mallow,” suggested Claire.
“And that of the pear, almond, and strawberry,” added Jules.
“Jules forgets some very pretty ones: the pansy and violet,” said Emile.