GAMOPETAL^ 99 



valvate in bud. There are two, rarely three, stamens, 

 which are included. The berry is round or ovoid, 

 purplish-black, rarely yellow\ The endosperm is hard. 



The Privet reaches a height of eight or ten feet, and 

 flowers in June and July, being a perennial shrub. 



Honey is secreted at the base of the tube, and is 

 concealed. The tube is only 3 mm. long, and 

 accessible to short-lipped insects. The anthers and 

 stigma ripen together. The anthers open wide. 

 They are sometimes distant, and then an insect may 

 touch them with one side of its head, the stigma 

 with the other side. But in other cases they are 

 close and arch over the stigma. In spite of the 

 sweet scent and hone}', the flowers are visited more 

 frequently b)' nocturnal Lepidoptera than by diurnal 

 insects. Other visitors are bees, flies, and beetles. 



As the berr}' is fleshy it is dispersed by the agency 

 of birds. 



The following names are cited for Privet : Brivet, 

 Pivert, Prie, Prim, Primrose, Primwort, Print, 

 Privet, Privy, Privy Saugh, Skedge or Skedgwith, 

 Skerrish. 



The berries yield a rose or green dye, and an oil, 

 which has been used in German}- for culinary 

 purposes. The green dye has been used for woollen 

 cloth. 



LiGUSTRUM VULGARE. — Ifi the illustration (Fig. 23) 

 are shown the entire^ lance-shaped, shortly-stalked leaves, 

 and the round, shining berries, which are close and 

 numerous. 



