STORK'S BILL 



179 



common stalk, the ses^ments being divided nearly to the base, stalkless, 

 and narrow. The stipules or leaHike orqans are lance-shaped and 

 membranous, the upper entire, the lower divided into 2 nearly u> 

 the base. 



The flowers are in umbels of 3-6 and rose-colour, w ith fugacious (jr 

 falling petals, hairy at the base, and longer than the calyx. 1 he 

 flower-stalks exceed the leaves in length, and are many-flowered. The 

 petals are une(|ual. The capsule is ribbed and beaked, the seeds are 



I'hntn. Kcv, C A. H.ill 



Stork's Bill (Erodiiini cictilariuin, L'Herit.) 



oblong, Ijrown, the long awn becoming spiral finally, but inlluenced by 

 hygroscopic deviations. 



The plant Is 9 in. to i ft. high. It flowers in April and the five 

 succeeding months. It is a perennial. 



The five inner stamens are rudimentary and produce no pollen. 

 The flowers are proterandrous, the stamens rij)ening before the stigma. 

 In the absence of insects the plant possesses the power oi self-pollina- 

 tion, as the anthers lie close to the stigma, and is self-fertile. Honey 

 is secreted as in Gcraniiini. Only the five outer stamens produce 

 pollen. Though the plant is prostrate it is rendered conspicuous in 

 the sun, turning its petals to the sun, opening at 7 a.m., the petals 

 falling by noon. The u{Ji)er 2 or 3 petals bear path-finders or fine black 

 lines, and the lower are lengthened and serve as an alighting place. 

 The flowers are visited by Hymenoptera (Apidas, Apis inellijica) and 

 Coleoptera; the last fall off unless they cling on tightly. 



The .Stork's liill is dispersed by its own agency. The seeds are 



