Plants -- Identification; Wild flowers -- Great Britain
The florets of each head or _capitulum_ are generally arranged into two
well-defined sets--the florets of the disc, occupying the centre; and
the florets of the ray, spreading more or less in a radial manner from
the edge of the disc. These two sets are often of different colours, as
in the Daisy, where the disc florets are of a deep yellow, while the ray
florets are white or pink.
In some of the Composites all the florets of each head are perfect,
while in others some are perfect and some imperfect. Then, as regards
the latter, they may be staminate or male florets, with no pistil;
pistillate or female flowers, with no stamens; or neuter florets,
possessing neither stamens nor pistil. In some few cases all the florets
of one head are staminate, while the pistillate florets alone form other
heads; and in these instances the two kinds of heads may be found on one
plant, or only one kind may exist on the same plant. In all cases the
capitulum is surrounded by one or more whorls of bracts which are often
closely overlapping.
The florets seldom possess a distinguishable calyx, but there is
sometimes an indication of the presence of five sepals; in many,
however, the calyx is represented by a whorl of hairs on the summit of
the ovary. Such a whorl is known as the _pappus_, and it frequently
enlarges as the fruit ripens, forming a kind of parachute that allows
the fruit to be carried great distances by the wind. The hairs of the
pappus are often sessile on the fruit, but sometimes mounted on the
summit of a slender stalk, as in the Dandelion. Further, the hairs which
constitute the pappus may be simple or feathered.
[Illustration: CAPITULUM OR FLOWER-HEAD OF THE MARIGOLD, showing the
_involucre_ or whorl of overlapping bracts.]
The corolla frequently consists of five petals, united into a tube with
as many teeth; but it is often _ligulate_ or strap-shaped, in which case
the presence of five petals is often denoted by five minute teeth at the
tip.
Where stamens exist they are five in number, attached to the petals, and
the anthers are generally united in such a manner that they form a tube
within the tube of the corolla.
[Illustration: FLORETS OF A COMPOSITE FLOWER. In fig. 1 the corolla is
strap-shaped; in fig. 2 it is tubular.]
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