AND HONEY. 215 



as the tubes of numerous flowers ? And though abortive 

 as to Antheras, the Filament, continuing strong and vig- 

 orous, may do its office. 



Honey is not absolutely confined to the flower. The 

 glands on the footstalks of Passion-flowers yield it, and it 

 exudes from the flower-stalks of some liliaceous plants. 



The sweet viscid liquor in question has given rise to 

 much diversity of opinion respecting its use. Pontede- 

 ra thought it was absorbed by the seeds for their nour- 

 ishment while forming, as the yolk of the egg by the 

 chick. But Linnaeus observes in reply, that barren 

 flowers produce it as well as fertile ones, witness Urtica 

 and Sallx. In some instances the fertile flowers only are 

 observed to bear honey, as Phyllanthus and Tamus^ but 

 such cases are rare. Even Darwin says the honey 

 is the food of the stamens and pistils, not recollecting 

 that it is often lodged in spurs or cells quite out of their 

 reach. 



There can be no doubt ihat the sole use of the honey 

 with respect to the plant is to tempt insects, who in 

 procuring it fertilize the flower, by disturbing the dust of 

 the Stamens, and even carry that substance from the bar- 

 ren to the fertile blossoms. 



3. Stamina. The Stamens, formerly called Chives, 

 are various in number in different flowers, from one to 

 some hundreds. Their situation is internal v/irh re- 

 spect to the parts we have been describnig ; external 

 to the Pistils, at least in simple flowers. 



These organs are essential, there being no plant 

 hitherto discovered, after the most careful research, 



