a full flower; a term expressive of the highest degree of luxuriance in flowers. See BOTANY. Such flowers, although the most delightful to the eye, are both vegetable monsters, and, according to the sexualists, vegetable eunuchs; the unnatural increase of the petals constituting the first; the consequent exclusion of the stamina or male organs, the latter. The following are well-known examples of flowers with more petals than one; ranunculus, anemone, marigold, cumbine, fennel-flower, poppy, peony, pink, gillyflower, campion, violets, campion, lily, crown imperial, tulip, narcissus, rocket, mallow, Syrian mallow, apple, pear, peach, cherry, almond, myrtle, rose, and strawberry.
Flowers with one petal are not so subject to fullness. The following, however, are instances: polyanthus, hyacinth, primrose, crocus, meadow-saffron, and thorn-apple; though Kramer has asserted that a full flower with one petal is a contradiction in terms. In flowers with one petal, the mode of luxuriance, or impletion, is by a multiplication of the divisions of the limb or upper part; in flowers with more petals than one, by a multiplication of the petals or nectarium.
To take a few examples. Columbine is rendered full In three different ways: by the multiplication of its petals, and total exclusion of the nectaria; 2. By the multiplication of the nectaria, and exclusion of the petals; or, 3. By such an increase of the nectaria only as does not exclude the petals, between each of which are interjected three nectaria, placed one within another. Again, fennel-flower is rendered full by an increase of the nectaria only; narcissus, either by a multiplication of its cup and petals, or of its cup only; larkspur commonly by an increase of the petals and exclusion of the spur, which is its nectarium. In *Japonaria concava anglica* the implosion is attended with the singular effect of incorporating the petals, and reducing their number from five to one; and in *Gelder-rofe*, the luxuriance is effected by an increase both in magnitude and number of the circumference or margin of the head of flowers, in the plain, wheel-shaped, barren florets; and an exclusion of all the bell-shaped hermaphrodite florets of the centre or disk.
Hitherto we have treated of plenitude in simple flowers only; the instance just now adduced seems to connect the different modes of implosion in them and compound flowers. Before proceeding farther, however, it will not be improper to premise, that as a simple luxuriant flower is frequently, by beginners, mistaken for a compound flower in a natural state, such flowers may always be distinguished with certainty by this rule: That in simple flowers, however luxuriant, there is but one pistillum or female organ; whereas in compound flowers, each floret, or partial flower, is furnished with its own proper pistillum. Thus in hawk-weed, a compound flower, each flat or tongue-shaped floret in the aggregate has its five stamens and naked seed, which last is in effect its pistillum; whereas, in a luxuriant lychnis, which is a simple flower, there is found only one pistillum or female organ common to the whole.
In a compound radiated flower, which generally consists of plain florets in the margin or radius, and tubular or hollow florets in the centre or disk, plenitude is effected either by an increase of the florets in the margin, and a total exclusion of those in the disk; which mode of luxuriance is termed *implication by the radius*, and resembles what happens in the gelder-rofe: or by an elongation of the hollow florets in the centre, and a less profound division of their brims; which is termed *implication of the disk*. In the first mode of luxuriance, the florets in the centre, which are always hermaphrodite or male, are entirely excluded; and in their place succeed florets similar in sex to those of the radius. Now as the florets in the margin of a radiated compound flower are found to be always either female, that is, furnished with the pistillum only; or neuter, that is, furnished with neither stamens nor pistillum; it is evident, that a radiated compound flower, filled by the radius, will either be entirely female, as in feverfew, daisy, and African marigold; or entirely neuter, as in sunflower, marigold, and centaury: hence it will always be easy to distinguish such a luxuriant flower from a compound flower with plain florets in a natural state; as these flowers are all hermaphrodite, that is, furnished with both stamens and pistillum. Thus the full flowers of African marigold have each floret furnished with the pistillum or female organ only: the natural flowers of dandelion, which, like the former, is composed of plain florets, are furnished with both stamens and pistillum.
In the second mode of luxuriance, termed *implication by the disk*, the florets in the margin sometimes remain unchanged: but most commonly adopt the figure of those in the centre, without, however, suffering any alteration in point of sex; so that confusion is less to be apprehended from this mode of luxuriance than from the former; besides the length to which the florets in the centre run out is of itself a sufficient distinction, and adapted to excite at once an idea of luxuriance. Daisy, feverfew, and African marigold, exhibit instances of this as well as of the former mode of implosion.
In luxuriant compound flowers with plain florets, the *semiflora culis* of Tournefort, the stigma or summit of the style in each floret is lengthened, and the seed-buds are enlarged and diverge; by which characters such flowers may always be distinguished from flowers of the same kind in a natural state. Scorzonera, nipplewort, and goat's-beard, furnish frequent instances of the plenitude alluded to.
Lastly, the implosion of compound flowers with tubular or hollow florets, the *flores culis* of Tournefort, seems to observe the same rules as that of radiated flowers just delivered. In everlasting-flower, the *zerantheum* of Linnaeus, the implosion is singular, being effected by the enlargement and expansion of the inward chaffy scales of the calyx. These scales, which become coloured, are greatly augmented in length, so as to overtop the florets, which are farce larger than those of the same flower in a natural state. The florets too in the margin, which in the natural flower are female, become, by luxuriance, barren; that is, are deprived of the pistillum; the style, which was very short, spreads, and is of the length of the chaffy scales; and its summits, formerly two in number, are metamorphosed into one.
Full flowers are more easily referred to their respective genera in methods founded upon the calyx, as the flower-cup generally remains unaffected by this highest degree of luxuriance.