CALYCIFLOR^ 251 



plant is a herbaceous perennial, and 1-2 ft. in 

 height. 



There is honey in the flowers on a fleshy disc at the 

 base of the style. The two stamens are at first 

 distant from the stigma, and insects use them as 

 an alighting place. Before they curl over, the flower 

 is adapted to cross-pollination by insect visitors. 

 The insect alights on the style, and dusts its under- 

 side with pollen from the stamens, which it uses as a 

 support. An insect may also alight on the stamens 

 and drag the style down so that it touches its ventral 

 surface, already dusted in all probability with pollen 

 from a previous flower. Thus cross-pollination is 

 more or less usual. In the absence of insects self- 

 pollination may occur, but does not seem to be 

 effective. The insect visitors are mainly flies. 



The fruit is a burr fruit covered with hooks, which 

 are adapted to dispersal by animals. The hooks 

 catch in the wool or hair of passing animals, and the 

 fruits easily break off the stalks, and are carried away 

 to be pressed in the soil when the animal lies down, 

 and are thus carried to a distance. 



This plant is also called Mandrake, Bindweed, 

 Nightshade. 



Of Circe it is stated that — 



" She changed his form, who could not change his heart, 

 Constrain'd him in a bird, and made him fly, 

 With party-colour'd plumes, a chatt'ring pie " — 



in allusion to her changing of Ulysses' companions 

 into birds. 



