NECTARY 



179 



justly observed, that in these plants the two organs are 

 usually united into one, the exterior being green and 

 coarse like the calyx, and the other delicate and colour- 

 ed as in the Bethlehem Star. 



NECTARY. — This term is applied to that part of the 

 flower " which contains, or which secretes honey.'' In 

 some instances, it is merely a depression or groove in 

 the tube of the corolla ; in others it is distinct from the 

 petals, being attached to different parts of the flower, 

 and assuming a great variety of shapes. 



In the cruciform flowers, the nectary is glandular, 

 and situated at the base of the stamens ; where it may be 

 detected by its green colour. In the Violet and Orchis 

 it is a production of the corolla, assuming the form of 

 a spur. The petal to which the spur-shaped nectary 

 is attached is termed calcarate. 



In Ranunculus itis a scale attached to the base of the 

 petal ; and in Nasturtion itis a production of the colour- 

 ed calyx. * 



In the Monk's hood the situation as well as the form 

 of these organs is very singular ; one of its petals being 

 concave conceals a pair of hooded nectaries, Fig, 88, from 

 which a slight pressure causes the honey to exude. 



Other appendages are regarded as nectaries, though 

 it has not been ascertained that they secrete or contain 

 honey. One of these is the arch or vault, which closes 

 the orifice of the tubular corolla, as in Borage and 

 Comfrey ; another is the beard, which is very conspic- 

 uous in the Iris, Menyanthes and Partridge-berry, ari- 

 sing in each case from the inferior surface of the corol- 

 la ; another is the corollet, which surmounts the blos- 

 soms in the form of a crown. In Narcissus this crown 

 is bell-shaped, its border being in some of the species 

 beautifully tinged with red. The nectary of the Pas- 



