THE STAPELIA FAMILY. 183 



under the impression that it is carrion ; but the eggs 

 never hatch. 



The stamens are five in number, fixed to the base 

 of the corolla, the filaments being in contact, if not 

 actually united. The anthers lie upon or are partly 

 immersed in the large pentangular stigmas, upon which 

 are five usually dark-coloured bodies over the space 

 'between the anthers. 



The pollen grains, instead of being a loose powder, 

 as in most flowers, form a wax-like, solid mass, by 

 being all united together in each anther-cell. Then the 

 pollen masses of two adjacent cells, i.e. belonging to 

 different stamens, become united by a secretion which 

 hardens into an arch-like structure (III.)^ fixed to 

 corpuscles, or "little bodies," on the stigmas, and 

 having the above - mentioned structure, it thus 

 enables an insect to lift the two masses out together. 

 Then, on entering another flower, the masses are 

 pushed up against the stigma lying in the depression 

 between the anthers. There are five of these " stigmatic 

 surfaces," though the pistil, having only two carpels, 

 should have but two stigmas, if they were not so 

 peculiarly modified to form a great five-angled summit. 

 This ultimately falls off, and the two carpels become 

 free follicles, not having cohered at all below. 



The seeds have a silky tuft of hairs, which spread 

 out as the carpels burst ; so that they push one another 

 out, and then can be wafted away by the wind. 



