THE ANGIOSPERMAE 



1321 



of bees may make use of any suitable flower if it is available in the neighbour- 

 hood of the hive in sufficient quantitv and the sources of some local honeys 

 are still uncertain. Seasons may make a profound difference in the nature 

 of the honev obtained. For example, in some seasons, when there is a gap 

 between the end of the Apple flowering and the beginning of the White 

 Clover, bees may collect large quantities of nectar from Hawthorn. If, in 

 another season, the White Clover is early, the bees may neglect the Hawthorn 

 nectar entirelv and concentrate upon the Clover, which is often the most 

 important honey-plant. The flowers of Trifolium repens, the White Clover 



Fig. 1237. — Trifolium repens. A, Flowering shoot. B, Flower in young 

 staminate state. C, Pistillate or female state, with protruding stigma. 

 D, Androecium showing posterior, separate stamen. 



(Fig. 1237), are grouped in a dense racemose head, which bears several 

 dozen flowers. Each flower consists of a short calyx, made up of five sepals, 

 which are fused into a tube about 3 mm. long. The corolla is composed of 

 five petals which are white in colour, but often tinted with pink. The 

 vexillum is large and bent so as to cover over the other four petals. The alae 

 are quite small and lie on either side, within the two lateral lobes of the 

 vexillum. The carina petals are fused along their anterior edges to form a 

 keel lying within the alae. The stamens are diadelphous, nine stamens 

 being united together in a staminal tube surrounding the gynoecium, with 

 short filaments and introrse anthers. The tenth stamen is free and occupies 

 the posterior position. The gynoecium consists of a single carpel with a 

 long, tapering style. Both stamens and style are enclosed within the keel 

 and anthesis begins while the corolla is still closed and has scarcely extended 

 beyond the calyx. 



