THE DICOTYLEDONES 



[627 



In A. napellus the three smaller, lower sepals together with the lower 

 petals serve as an alighting platform for the bee and at the same time form 

 a protective investment for the stamens and carpels. The numerous 

 stamens become erect as the anthers mature, so that pollen must be dusted 

 on the lower surface of the insect. The stamens then wither and the carpels, 

 now freed from their staminal investment, occupy the entrance to the 

 flower and receive pollen from a visiting bee. 



Fig. 1485. — Paeonia delavayi. 



The genus Paeonia (Fig. 1485) comprises some fifteen species most of 

 which are native to temperate Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean region. 

 One species is found wild in California. They are mostly herbs or shrubs 

 with divided leaves and very large, solitary, showy flowers. In the fleshy 

 outer integument the ovule of Paeonia resembles the Berberidaceae. No 

 nectar is secreted, but it has been recorded that P. moiitan is visited by 

 beetles which lick the base of the carpels. The flowers may be visited by 

 insects for their pollen. 



We may recognize several sections of the Anemonoideae. The first, 

 comprising Anemone, consists of herbaceous, rarely shrubby plants usually 

 with palmate leaves and with a whorl of three bracts forming an involucre 

 for the flower. The flowers are usually solitary, with five, six or more 

 perianth parts. True petals are absent and there are numerous stamens and 

 carpels. There is a single pendulous ovule. In A. Pulsatilla (Fig. i486) the 

 carpels are crowned with long hairy styles. Above the single fertile ovule 

 there are a number of abortive ovules which indicate that the uniovulate 



