394 OCCASIOIS^AL N^OTES 01^ PLANTS, 



anthers are clothed with stiff hairs. Five of the stamens are 

 shorter than the others, and meet over the stigma, quite prevent- 

 ing any approach to it from above. Independently, however, of 

 this, the five longer stamens close over the shorter ones, forming 

 an additional protection. As the anthers are all on the inside of 

 the stamens, of course those of the five shorter stamens are 

 immediately over the stigma. In the course of time, the free 

 portions of the five longer stamens leave their first position, and 

 not only become erect, but to some extent, reflexed ; the five 

 shorter ones however, still retaining their guardianship of the 

 stigma. Soon a very narrow passage, caused by the shorter 

 stamens having somewhat separated, will be seen leading to the 

 stigma, and an ordinary pocket-lens will show that the anthers 

 lining the passage have matured and opened, and that the passage 

 contains a considerable quantity of pollen. After this, the five 

 shorter stamens open widely, exposing the stigma. 



The close imprisonment of the stigma, till the anthers have 

 opened, and the pollen has lined the passage immediately over it, 

 would lead one to suppose that its purpose was to ensure self- 

 fertilization ; but this does not appear to have been the case. 

 Finding, on opening several flowers, that no fertilization had 

 taken place ; that in fact, the stigma was not mature, although 

 the pollen had matured and disappeared, I selected ten flowers 

 in all of which both the long and short stamens had opened 

 widely, leaving the stigmas fully exposed. In six I found the 

 anthers open and empty, yet five of the stigmas had not arrived 

 at maturity, one being viscid, but having no pollen on it. In three 

 others the anthers were open and contained a few grains of 

 pollen ; but none of the stigmas were mature. In the remaining 

 flower the anthers were open, and appeared to contain all their 

 pollen ; the stigma not mature. I then placed some ripe pollen 

 on five of the stigmas of the first lot examined, which were 

 supposed not to have reached maturity. After allowing it to 

 remain in contact for half an hour, it could be blown off, leaving 



