210 



by coming into contact witli the pollinated back of a passing Antbophora 

 in search of honey. There does not seem to be any provision for the self- 

 fertilization of P. Pc»tste)iioii. 



The longer of the dimorpliic pistils of HJcrteiisia ^ inji)ticv (L) D.C. are 

 of the same length as the stamens and may be self-fertilized by contact 

 with the dehiscing anthers. The shortest of the other form do not reach 

 beyond the end of the narrow tube, and are fertilized by honey-bees. 

 Honey is secreted at the base of a tube 2." mm. long and is further pro- 

 tected by a pubescent ring 2 mm. above the receptacle. No insect was 

 found on the flowers that could reach the honey in a legitimate way. but 

 a big bumble-bee was seen on the corolla making slits in the tulje just 

 above the puljescent ring. Through the opening the tongue of the bee 

 was inserted and the honey removed, with ease, as it passed rapidly from 

 one tlower to another. 



A calendine poppy. Hti/loplioni))! aiphi/Uiin) (Mich.) Nutt.. under culti- 

 A'ation came into bloom April 23, early in the forenoon. At 3:40 p. m. 

 the petals began closing and by sundown were completely folded over the 

 stamens. Although it was raining the next day the petals under obser- 

 vation again opened in all their golden splendor. It was not clearly evi- 

 dent that the stamens of this plant were proterandrous, though the stigma 

 gi-eally inei'eased in size after the bud had opened. Usually the flowers 

 did not wither under two days. Small bees were noticed crawling on the 

 flowers, a single honey-bee was seen collecting pollen, and it is prob- 

 able ci OSS-fertilization was the result of their movements. Flowers pro- 

 tected by a net from insect visitors produced capsules of the normal size, 

 well tilled with seeds. 



In .Tuly it was noticed that while the calendine poppy was producing 

 an abundance of seeds none could be found on the ground under the 

 plant. The seeds of a dehiscing capsule, which were placed in a heap 

 on a small stone, all disappeared by next morning. When it was recalled 

 that ants are known to carry small seeds into their nests they Avere sus- 

 pected of carrying them away. This inference seemed probable, as the 

 seeds were provided with a fleshy crest on one edge which an ant could 

 grasp. At last a common black ant, about 6 mm. long, was seen with a 

 .seed in its mouth and watched until it disappeared in a round hole. Later 

 an ant was followed to another hole. The mouth to these holes was level 

 with till' surface of the ground and not through the usual hillock of sand 



