flower dissecting kit
THE FLOWER DISSECTING KIT

In your plant studies, especially when using identification keys, often you'll need to know details of flower anatomy that can only be found out by tearing blossoms apart. Are the stamens "diadelphous" or "monadelphous"? Are the ovules' placentae "parietal" or "basal"? With large blossoms sometimes these details can be easily seen, but with smaller flowers -- the majority of blossoms we're likely to meet -- we may need to dig into them. Here are instruments needed in a simple flower-dissecting kit which can be carried in a small bag or pouch when you're in the field: