36 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF [Feb., 



were observed. At tlie period when the autliers havi readied tlieir 

 fiill development a rest is taken, apparently till the next day. Then 

 the style elongates until it seems to be held fast by the united anther 

 cap. After a short rest it is again in motion, the anther-cells burst, 

 and the pollen is ejected so forcibly through the crown as to some- 

 times cover the scarlet petals with powder. In the case of the blue- 

 flowered species, bees occasionally get a portion of the pollen 

 shower. 



Aside from the interesting fact in regard to the forcible ejection 

 of the pollen, and the free fertility under self-fertilization — for, not- 

 withstanding the freedom of insect visitors. Lobelia syphilitica is 

 absolutely self-fertilized — note may be taken of differing observa- 

 tions. Of Lobelia fulgens, which is essentially identical with 

 Lobelia cardinalis, Mr. Darwin says, in his " Cross and Self- 

 fertilization in the Vegetable Kingdom " : " This plant is never 

 visited in my gaixlen by bees, and is quite stei'ile ; but in a nursery 

 garden at a few miles' distance I saw humble-bees visiting the 

 flowers, and they produced some capsules." Mr. Darwin once 

 stated that one might as well use organic dust as to endeavor to get 

 seeds of Linum perenne by the aid of its own pollen. I found 

 Linum perenne of our Rocky Mountains abundantly fertile with 

 own-pollen, and said so in one of my papers. Mr. Darwin took 

 this to be an attempt to discredit his observation, and naturally felt 

 aggrieved. ]My thought is rather that plants and insects behave 

 differently under different conditions, and that failure or facture 

 in perfecting seeds should often be referred to phases of nutrition 

 aside from the action of insects. 



The facts here recorded afford a valuable lesson on this matter. 

 Lobelia syphilitica, Avith its shorter and more open corolla, could be 

 moi'e easily rifled of its nectar, and as the flowers were in great 

 abundance, and fresh flowers opened daily, the insects worked in 

 the easiest lines. In the case of the Sedum it will also be noted that 

 the bees continued their easier work on this, before seeking the more 

 difficult Lobelia. The failure of Mr. Darwin's Lobelia to produce, 

 while mine were fertile, is obviously due to nutritive conditions. He 

 was mistaken in referring the failure to the absence of insects, but 

 no one would for a moment discredit his observation. 



