1 34 Shaiv — Structure of the Floivers hi 



Their rich contents would lend support to this view. Such 

 a suggestion has already been made by Mrs. Pettit^ in the 

 case of the gynophore hairs of Arachis hypogcea. Or since 

 such underground fruits would be especially liable to destruc- 

 tion from animals living in the soil, these glandular bodies 

 may contain some alkaloidal or other substances which may 

 protect the fruit against such. The fact that these bodies are 

 only found on that portion of the ovarian surface which 

 comes into direct contact with the soil as soon as the ovary 

 has grown slightly, might favor the former view. Stomata 

 have never been found on the subterranean ovary. 



Since the style scarcely exists in the cleistogamic pistil we 

 should hardly know what to expect in regard to the passage 

 from the ovarian cavity to the exterior. In point of fact open- 

 ings very frequently occur close beside the stigmatic knob. 

 Until the flowers are quite well developed (nearly ready for 

 pollination), there is always a considerable opening into both 

 chambers of the ovary. 



Nectary. — A. In the chasmogamic flower, close under the 

 posterior base of the ovary, there is found growing out from 

 the receptacle a small tract of cells. These are covered by 

 the slightly modified posterior sepal, and receive branches 

 from the vascular system of the peduncle. The surface of the 

 papilla is formed of irregular polygonal cells. Beneath these 

 is a region of cells, elongated perpendicularly to the surface, 

 and lying below them in turn are the terminations of the vas- 

 cular bundles. There is no doubt as to the character of the 

 structure as a nectary. Insects have been observed to alight 

 on the summit of the corolla and to probe in this region. 



Nectary. — B. In the aerial cleistogamic flower the position 

 of the nectary is marked by faintly developed vascular bun- 

 dles, and in some instances by a small cellular papilla.. The 

 development of the latter is however very variable. 



1 Pettit, Arachis Hypogaa. Memoirs of the Torr. Bot. Club, vol. iv, No. 4. 



