Stamens and pistils are not present together in all flowers. When both are present the flower is said to be perfect, or bisexual, regardless of a lack of any other part that renders it incomplete. When the same plant bears unisexual flowers of both sexes, it is said to be monoecious (e.g. tuberous begonia); when the male and female flowers are on different plants, the plant is dioecious (e.g. holly); when there are male, female, and bisexual flowers on the same plant, the plant is termed polygamous.

A flower may be radially symmetrical, as in roses and petunias, in which case it is termed regular. A bilaterally symmetrical flower, as in orchids and snapdragons, is irregular.

4. Match anatomic words and definitions:

5. Match preposition of place with the pictures according to the blue ball position:

6. Choose any flower from ex. 1 and describe it according to the mind-map with the use of preposition of place and useful phrases:

USEFUL PHRASES

In the picture I can see …

There’s / There are some…

There isn’t a … / There aren’t any …

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Now you know:

–Anatomy of flower

–Main botanical forms of flowers

–Prepositions of place

–How to describe flowers with the use of there is/ there are

–New words:

1. Answer the questions:

What can flowers symbolize?

Which flowers represent love, hope, healing, and good luck?

What do you think “Floriography” means?

Floriography is the term used to represent the language of flowers.

2. Read the first part of the text and decide if the statements a-f are true or false:

The History of Flower Meanings

The symbolic language of flowers has been recognized for centuries in many countries throughout Europe and Asia. They even play a large role in William Shakespeare’s works. Mythologies, folklore, sonnets, and plays of the ancient Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, and Chinese are peppered with flower and plant symbolism—and for good reason. Nearly every sentiment imaginable can be expressed with flowers. The orange blossom, for instance, means purity, and loveliness, while the red chrysanthemum means “I love you.”

Flowery Language of the Victorian Era

Learning the special symbolism of flowers became a popular pastime during the 1800s. Nearly all Victorian homes had, alongside the Bible, guidebooks for deciphering the “language,” although definitions shifted depending on the source.

In the Victorian era, flowers were primarily used to deliver messages that couldn’t be spoken aloud. In a sort of silent dialogue, flowers could be used to answer “yes” or “no” questions. A “yes” answer came in the form of flowers handed over with the right hand; if the left hand was used, the answer was “no.”

Plants could also express aversive feelings, such as the “conceit” of pomegranate or the “bitterness” of aloe. Similarly, if given a rose declaring “devotion” or an apple blossom showing “preference,” one might return to the suitor a yellow carnation to express “disdain.”

How flowers were presented and in what condition were important. If the flowers were given upside down, then the idea being conveyed was the opposite of what was traditionally meant. How the ribbon was tied said something, too: Tied to the left, the flowers’ symbolism applied to the giver, whereas tied to the right, the sentiment was in reference to the recipient. And, of course, a wilted bouquet delivered an obvious message!

More examples of plants and their associated human qualities during the Victorian era include bluebells and kindness, peonies and bashfulness, rosemary and remembrance, and tulips and passion. The meanings and traditions associated with flowers have certainly changed over time, and different cultures assign varying ideas to the same species, but the fascination with “perfumed words” persists just the same.