. The plant, an illustration of the organic life of the animal. Biology. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 129 noticed the folding up of the calyx and corolla in wet weather, or at sunset. The function exercised by the two outer whorls of floral leaves is, in this ease, purely protec- tive, and the design of their close proximity to the stampns and pistils is at once apparent; that they may fold over the stamens and pistils, and thus protect, them from the effects of the night dews and falling rain, which would otherwise act injuriously on the pollen contained in the cells of the anthers. Pig. 26. j,_ â
. The plant, an illustration of the organic life of the animal. Biology. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 129 noticed the folding up of the calyx and corolla in wet weather, or at sunset. The function exercised by the two outer whorls of floral leaves is, in this ease, purely protec- tive, and the design of their close proximity to the stampns and pistils is at once apparent; that they may fold over the stamens and pistils, and thus protect, them from the effects of the night dews and falling rain, which would otherwise act injuriously on the pollen contained in the cells of the anthers. Pig. 26. j,_ â. Fig. 26. The different parts of a, flower, a. The calyx; i. the corolla; e, the staiaens; d. the pistils. The reproductive organs of plants, popularly called their flowers, are commonly the most showy and attractive parts. To this rule, however, there are some exceptions. Eor example, the radicle leaves of the rattlesnake plantain (Groodyera pubesceus,) one of the North American Orchideae, found in shady woods, far surpass the flora'l leaves in the elegance of their form and coloring. This plant is much prized in Europe, and is cultivated on account of the beauty of its foliage. It bears a spike of greenish white flowers of a very ordinary aspect; the foliage of the plant, on the contrary, is a deep rich green, most beautifully. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Coultas, Harland, d. 1877. Philadelphia ; Perry and Erety
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Keywords: ., bookauthorco, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, booksubjectbiology
