

220 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 



some other genera, forms which should perhaps be placed 

 in the Melastomataceous type as Delpino has done. It 

 must be recognized, however, that between these types 

 there is no sharp distinction and that the groupings 

 adopted are merely for the purpose of more convenient 

 comparisons. In treating the floral ecology of the Sola- 

 num-Cassia type it seems best to discuss in some detail the 

 two type genera and compare with them other members of 

 their respective families, taking up afterwards the other 

 forms in their systematic sequence. 



We may first consider briefly the actinomorphic Sola- 

 rium s. 



8. Dulcamara has been most thoroughly studied. It 

 belongs clearly to Delpino' s Borago type. The Syrphidae 

 and Lepidoptera observed as visitors by Miiller must 

 be regarded as accidental or insignificant. Accordii 



c ^ * 



most reports, 8. Dulcamara is little visited, but Hoffer 

 found the visitors in one locality very abundant and 

 active, no less than seven species of Bombus and one 

 of Osmia, as well as Rhingia, Volucella and Argynnis 

 being observed. 8. nigrum and 8. Carolinense have 

 been observed to be sparingly visited by Bombus. On 

 8. elaeagni folium at Las Vegas, N. M., Cockerell took 

 eighteen species of Apidae beloi 



genera. 



&" 1 © 



8 



jhrurn (said in systematic works to have a violet corolla 

 2£-3 inches in diameter) one species each of Oxaea, Xylo- 

 copa, Bombus and Halictus and six of Centris. At the 

 same place he observed one species of Halictus, seven 

 species of Eugloi 



I 8. toxicarum. On an unidentified species 



with blue flowers he records only species of Melipona, 



especially M. fasciata, Bombus cayennensis and Halictus. 



Darwin reports observations by F. Miiller on 8. pollina- 



canthum at Sta. Catharina, Brazil, He found it visited ex- 





