METHODS OF POLLINATION. 23 



In some kinds of Pelargonium the front petal is 

 wanting, the nourishment required to make it having 

 been drawn away in order to enlarge the back petals. 



Next we notice that only seven stamens bear 

 anthers, as shown in the plan or diagram (III.) ; the 

 three little rings stand for three filaments, which bear 

 no anthers. Now observe how, instead of the filaments 

 standing round the pistil, as in regular flowers, they all 

 bend downwards in front. Next notice how the style 

 stands out underneath the stamens like a rod with 

 a blunt end (I.). The meaning of this is that although 

 the anthers are quite ready to shed their pollen, the 

 five stigmas are not ready to receive it ; so that the 

 flower must invite an insect to take the pollen away 

 and put it upon the stigmas of some other flower of 

 the same kind of Pelar^' nivm which are ready to 

 receive it (as shown in Fig. 42, II.). 



The slanting, or declinate, stamens afford a good 

 landing-place for the insect to stand upon. It thus 

 gets dusted on its underside. But where is the honey 

 to be found ? 



If you look well into the flower, at the back, 

 you will find a hole just in front of the hindermost 

 sepal, as shown in the diagram (III.). Now look at 

 the stalk behind ; and the hole leads into a long 

 "honey-tube," or Nectary, which you can split down 

 to the bottom. 



But this is not all. As soon as the anthers have 



