POLLINATION OF SOME CALIFOKNIAN FLOWEKS. 149 



for pollen. Any large insect is almost certain to effect cross- 

 pollination by striking the stigmas first with the under side 

 of its body thoroughly dusted with pollen. I have taken 

 hive bees, wasps, and Melissodes on the flowers. 



Hypericum anagalloides, C. & S., has inconspicuous 

 flowers with anthers in contact with the stigmas. I have 

 seen no insects visit them. 



Geranium Richardsonii, F. & M., is abundant in July. 

 The plants generally grow in masses and each plant furnishes 

 a goodly show of flowers. The entire plant has a character- 

 istic odor and the flowers are decidedly fragrant. The pale 

 rose-colored petals have crimson lines as honey guides. The 

 honey is abundant and is protected by hairs on the claws of 

 the petal, but is accessible to almost any insect. The five 

 higher anthers begin dehiscence as the flower expands, the 

 others dehisce soon after, and all of the anthers during 

 dehiscence are held two or three lines from the center of the 

 flower by the spreading filaments, the faces somewhat down- 

 ward. After dehiscence the anthers fall off, usually before 

 the filaments resume a vertical position. The styles do not 

 usually unfold until the anthers are fallen; their upper faces 

 are stigmatic, but they recurve sufficiently to admit of polli- 

 nation from below. As the lowest anthers are four lines 

 above the corolla and the style-tips five or six lines from it, 

 small insects can easily rifle the flowers of honey without 

 touching the essential organs. Indeed the most frequent 

 guests are small bees, Megachiles and a Prosopis, and they 

 are invariably useless. But larger bees, hive bees, Anthop- 

 horas, Osinia, Coelioxys and Bombus Californicus also 

 frequent the flowers and are effective agents in fertilization 

 since they nearly always cling to the anthers or styles. Large 

 flies, although they usually rest on the corolla, are likely to 

 strike the essential organs on entering. The plaats have 

 abundant fruit. 



