624 



Handbook of Nature-Study 



of the spur, we can see the upper petals extending back into it, making 

 a somewhat double-barreled nectary. 



If we look into a larkspur flower just opened, we see below the petals 

 a bunch of green anthers, hanging by white threadlike filaments to the 

 center of the flower and looking like a bunch of lilliputian bananas. 

 Behind these anthers is an undeveloped stigma, not visible as yet. 

 After the flower has been open for a short time, three or four of the 

 anthers rise up and stand within the lower petals; while in this 

 position, their white pollen bursts from them, and no bee may then 

 thrust her tongue into the nectar-spur without being powdered 

 with pollen. As soon as the anthers have discharged their pollen, 

 they shrivel and their places are taken by fresh ones. It may 

 require two or three days for all the anthers to lift up and get rid of 

 their pollen. After this has been accomplished, the three white, closely 



adhering pistils lift up their three stigmas in the 

 self-same path to the nectar; and now they are 

 ready to receive the pollen which the blundering 

 bee brings from other flowers. Since we cannot 

 always study the same flower for several conse- 

 cutive days, we can read the whole story by 

 studying the flowers freshly opened on the 

 upper portion of the stalk, and those below them 

 that are in more advanced stages. 



The bees, especially the bumblebee, will tell 

 the pollenation story to us in the garden. The 

 contrasting color of the petals and sepals tells 

 her where to alight; this she does accurately, 

 and the inconsequential lower petals seem made 

 for her to grasp ; she presses them to her breast 

 with her front and middle legs with a dramatic, 

 almost ecstatic, gesture that is comical to wit- 

 ness, and holds them firmly while she thrusts 

 her head into the opening between them; she 

 probes the spur twice, evidently finding there 

 the two nectar-wells. It is a fascinating past- 

 time to follow her as she goes from flower to 

 flower like a Madam Pompadour, powdered 

 with her white pollen. In order that a bee may 

 work on these flowers, it is necessary that they 

 hang vertically. The tips of the tall flower 

 stalks are likely to bend or curl over; but no 

 matter what the direction the broken or bent 

 stem takes, the flowers will twist around on 

 their pedicels until they face the world and the bee, exactly as if they were 

 on a normally erect stem. \ 



All the larkspurs have essentially the same "pollen story, although 

 some have only two petals; in every case the anthers at first hang down, 

 and later rise up in the path to the nectar, in order to discharge their 

 pollen; after they wither, the stigmas arise in a similar position. 



The bee-larkspur has a very beautiful fruit. It consists of three 

 graceful capsules rising from the same base and flaring out into pointed 

 tips. The seeds are fastened to the curved side of each capsule, which 



1, Drawing of the bee-lark- 



spur flower enlarged. 



2, The seed capsule of the 

 bee-larkspur. 



