Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Flower

FLOWER, in botany, a developed terminal bud inclosing the organs of reproduction by seed. The earlier botanists limited it to the corolla of a plant, but Linnaeus extended it to include the calyx, corolla, stamens, and pistil. The two last are the only essential parts. This is the modern sense of the term. The manner in which its parts are arranged is called their estivation, and the calyx, corolla, and other parts are generally believed to be transformed leaves arranged on a branchlet; but many writers consider the petals to be transformed stamens. The arrangement of flowers on a branch or stem is called Inflorescence (q. v.). The term Flower of Constantinople, or Flower Constantinople, is a translation of the old name Flos constantinopolitanus, given to the plant now called Lychnis chalcedonica. It is named also flower of Bristowe. The flower of the Axe is Lobelia urens, found in England only near Axminster in Devon; the flower of Crete is Mesembryanthemum tripolium; and flower of Jove Lychnis flos jovis; flower of four hours, Mirabilis dichotoma; flowers of heaven, a fungal, Nostoc cœruleum; and flowers of tan, Æthalium, a gasteromycetous fungal. It is so called from its growing on tan. In chemistry, flowers used to be the name given to bodies of a powdery or mealy consistence or form, e. g., flowers of sulphur, a name sometimes given to sublimed sulphur. In printing, ornamental types or blocks for borders of pages, cards, and the like.