58 ERYTHEA. 



teras and Anthophoras are particularly abundant; so are small 

 beetles, Bembex fasciata, Steniola duplicata, and an Ammopliila were 

 also taken on the flowers. 



Hebenaria leucostachys, Watson, is not infrequent in this 

 locality. The spikes are of long duration and the pure white flow- 

 ers are very fragrant, especially at night. The stigmas are com- 

 paratively large and the discs very sticky, adhering readily to the 

 point of a needle. It would seem that an insect large enough to 

 get the honey — the slender spurs are from nine lines to an inch 

 long — must come in contact with the discs. I had little opportunity 

 to watch the flowers, and saw no guests, but a greater part of the 

 older flowers lacked one or both pairs of pollen masses, and the 

 plants have abundant fruit. 



Epipactis gigantea, Dougl., I found abundant at Seven Oaks 

 in July, I could find no honey; the disc was less glutinous than 

 in the Habenaria, and I saw no guests. Self-pollination certainly 

 sometimes occurs in this Orchid; for although the pollen masses lie 

 above the stigma under a lid, as the flower becomes older the coarse, 

 webby pollen pushes out from beneath the lid and is blown against 

 the stigma. 



SiSYRiNCHiUM BELLUM, Wats., occurs sparingly in some cienegas. 

 I was much surprised to see bees visit these flowers for pollen on 

 several occasions. In the vicinity of Los Angeles, where I have 

 been accustomed for years to see these plants growing in masses, I 

 had only once seen them visited by any insect. 



Iris longipetala, Herbert, was nearly out of flower when it 

 came under my observation. Some bees were about the few remain- 

 ing flowers, but I was unable to see whether they struck the stigmas. 

 I do not succeed in germinating its seeds. 



Calochortus Nutalli, T. &. G., was found frequently in the 

 mountains. The flowers vary in color from white to purple. In 

 form the corolla is sometimes rotate, again it ia like a slender chal- 

 ice. As in other Mariposas of this group the anthers of the nearly 

 opened flowers stand in the center and dehisce very slowly, three at 

 a time, then fall back against the petals. In this species the anthers 



