272 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [] 890. 



of its sweets by boring the base of the corolla tube. Buddleia 

 Lindleyana exhibits similar characters. 



Vitex Agnus-castus. — This Verbenaceous plant from tlie south of 

 Europe common in gardens as tlie ''chaste tree," is abundantly 

 fertile. The anthers burst their pollen sometimes as nuich as twenty- 

 four hours before the flowers open. The pistil is cloven as in many 

 Labiates, but is remarkable for having the lips expanded at a very 

 early stage. The pollen as it escapes from the cells, falls on the 

 stigmatic surfaces. The stigma at this time may be regarded as 

 functionless ; but the pollen remains attached, and is borne up as the 

 style elongates and ])erforms its part in the economy of plant life at 

 once when the flower expands. After expansion the pistil curves up- 

 ward. The flowers seem great favorites with insects, especially with 

 Lepidoptera. Repeated observations failed to note a single case 

 where a stigma was touched by a visiting insect. Humble-bees bore 

 through the tube for their share of the nectar. 



Hypericum mutilum. — This weed, common in damp ground, is 

 abundantly fertile. An examination of an unopened flower, shows 

 the anthers to be entangled among the styles from which on expansion 

 of the flower, the weak hair-like filaments are unable to extricate 

 them. The anthers mostly remain in this position, shedding their 

 jjollen over the stigmas, getting in their early work to the exclusion 

 of intruding pollen. H. Canadense behaves in a similar manner. 



Phytolacca decandra. — Assured, from its abundant fertility, that 

 the common " Poke-weed," was adapted to self-fertilization, I was led 

 to examine a flower, and found that it was fertilized before opening. 

 The stamens are curved over, completely covering the gynoecium, and 

 the anthers discharge the pollen in great profusion over the styles. 

 These have their stigmas partially decayed before the flowers open, 

 showing that their functions have been wholly concluded while the 

 flower was unexpanded. 



Lyco2')ersicum esculentum. Noting that the common Tomato, and 

 its neighboring Solanaceous plant, Capsicum grossum, the Bell- 

 pepper of gardens, had nearly or quite every flower fertile, an 

 examination of a few flowers late in the season, showed plainly that 

 they are arranged to insure self-fertilization. The anthers of the 

 Tomato are connate, and drawn together in a cone over the pistil. 

 The anther-cells burst simultaneously Avith the expansion of the 

 corolla, and the discharged pollen covers the stigmatic apex. It is 

 impossible for the flower, under any ordinary circumstances, to receive 



