CALYCIFLORiE 271 



The branches are straight. The leaves are opposite, 

 ovate or oblong, blunt-pointed or acute, green both 

 sides, stalked, strongly veined, the lateral nerves sub- 

 basal, when young hoary or silky, v^^ith the hairs 

 closely pressed to the surface, green and smooth 

 when older. 



The flowers are creamy-white in terminal, flat, 

 dense cymes, numerous, bractless. The calyx and 

 flower-stalks have a mealy down. The petals are 

 lance-shaped. There is no involucre. The fruit is a 

 small, rounded drupe, black, or dark purple, and 

 bitter. 



The flowers bloom in June and July. The plant 

 is a deciduous shrub, and 5 to 6 ft. in height. 



Honey is secreted by a fleshy ring at the base of 

 the style, and is fully exposed and more accessible to 

 short-lipped insects than long-tongued bees, which 

 come for pollen. The anthers and stigma ripen 

 simultaneously. The anthers open inwards and are 

 level with the stigma a little distance away. An 

 insect touches the stigma with one side and the 

 anthers with the other side. The result in going 

 from flower to flower is to bring about cross-pollina- 

 tion. A few creeping insects may cause self- 

 pollination. The stamens rise up and turn inwards, 

 and if insects do not visit the plant it is self- 

 pollinated. Stigmas of neighbouring flowers may 

 touch the anthers and so cross-pollination also may 

 follow in this way. Many insects, beetles, flies, 

 wasps, etc., visit the flower. 



