66 FLORA HISTORICA. 



calcar of the Violet, wherein the honey is secreted, 

 is a little bag formed by the lower petals, and this 

 is distinguished from other nectaries by the appel- 

 lation of nectarothecce. In carefully taking off the 

 petals of the Violet, and splitting open the nectary 

 with a pointed penknife, it will be seen that the 

 two lower anthers have a tongue or tube attached 

 to them, which descends into the spur, evidently to 

 draw up the nectareous j uice for the invigoration of 

 the anthers, or to assist in the decomposition of the 

 farina. Nature has guarded the nectary of the 

 Violet in a manner that must excite our warmest 

 admiration, and which at the same time must 

 strengthen the opinion, that this saccharine juice is 

 of the most vital importance to the sexual parts of 

 plants, as it is always attached to the flower under 

 some shape or other, and more or less exposed to 

 the intrusion of those insects which subsist on the 

 honey of plants. As the Violet blossoms in a sea- 

 son when there are but few plants in flower, Nature 

 seems to have taken a double precaution to secure 

 the entrance of the spur against intrusion. For 

 this purpose the two side-petals are furnished with 

 a kind of beard, which keeps out the smallest 

 insect, at the same time it admits air, which appears 

 to be necessary in the formation of the nectar or 

 honey. The entrance of the spur is grooved on 

 the under side, but this channel is occupied by the 



