94 



I'l.OWl-.RS C)l'' 'IHl'. COUNIIJ-.I.DS 



ami yii'kl at llic side when ihc bee, which must lia\e a lon;^' proboscis, 

 .utenipts to thrtist in its head. Cross-pollination is caused by insects, 

 and self-pollination will lake place in any case. Larkspur is generally 



pollinated by humble-bees. 

 The seed of the Lark- 

 spur is dispersed by the 

 wind. The seeds are 

 black and anjj^ular and 

 ridt^ed, and contained in 

 a follicle or dry fruit, and 

 are shaken nut onl\' bv a 

 strong;' wind. 



The Larkspur is a 

 lime-loving- plant and re- 

 quires a lime soil, being 

 suited to districts where 

 chalk or limestone contrib- 

 utes to form a subsoil of 

 a limy character. 



This plant is not in- 

 fested by micro-fungi. 



The moths Chariclca 

 Delphi nil and the \"iper's 

 Bugloss moth [Diauthoecia 

 Ec/tii) visit it, as also 

 He Hot /lis dipsaeca. 



Dioscorides gave the 

 name Delp/iiiiiiuii (Greek 

 delphis, a dolphin) from 

 the form of the nectary. 

 -Ijacis is from A/ax 

 (Greek, Aias). from mark- 

 '''"'' ings like A I A. Larkspur 



is the only name, perhaps 

 in allusion to the length of spur like the toe of the lark's foot. 



The plant is a favourite in our gardens, and the flowers have been 

 varied considerably by cultivation. 



Essential Specific Characters: — 



14. Delphiniiini AJaeis, Reichb. — Stem erect, lea\'es alternate, 

 multifid, flowers in raceme, sepals united, petals small, spurred, blue, 

 white, pink, follicles i to 5, downy, seeds wrinkled. 



Larkspi'r {Dvlpliiiiiiim Ajti, 



