PHYSIOLOGY OF THE FLOWER. 129 
namous stamens. This flower also presents other points of 
interest. The corolla tube is strengthened by a backward bend 
just where the weight of an insect produces most strain, and the 
tube of the calyx is also thickened. Unbidden guests are deterred, 
not only by the general hairiness of the plant, but also by a weel 
of hairs in the corolla tube. 
The allied forms thyme and wood-sage are both proterandrous. 
The former reminds one of the pink (p. 124), since first the four 
stamens project from the corolla, two at a time, diverging widely, 
and then the style grows rapidly, its forked end sticking right out 
of the flower. Wood-sage takes advantage of the rudimentary upper 
lip to curve its stamens sharply back after their pollen is shed. 
The two next examples, meadow-sage and orchis, show in a 
very striking way the reduction in number of stamens that is 
often associated with elaborate arrangements. 
Meadow-sage (also garden-sage and a large red garden form) pos- 
sesses only two fertile stamens, and these are modified (cf. p. 97) 
in a very curious way. The filaments are 
short, and the elongated curved connec- 
tives are loosely swung upon them. The 
longer upper part of each connective bears 
a fertile anther lobe, while the shorter 
lower part is united with its fellow into 
a curved plate.| When undisturbed, the 
anther lobes are situated under the hood- 
like upper lip, and the forked stigma 
projects beyond them, well out of the 
way of self-pollination. If, now, a bee 
lands on the lower lip of the corolla and 
Fig. 52.—Semi-diagrammatic 
probes the tube for nectar, its head is sure 
to strike against the curved plate men- 
tioned. The result is that the anther lobes 
are swung downwards and forwards so as to 
deposit pollen on its back. Further, the 
sage is markedly proterandrous. The 
stigma of the young flower is placed too 
high to be touched, but when mature it 
bends downward and hangs in front of the 
flower, so that it must be touched before a 
bee can settle on the lower lip. 
Early purple orchis (fig. 52). The flower 
has already been partly described (p. 88). 
flower is occupied by the “column,” 
Viewof Early Purple Orchis 
[original]. x1. St. © stem; 
Br. bract; S, S, S. sepals; 
P, P. upper petals; L. la- 
bellum, the streaks are 
honey-guides, directed to 
the opening of the spur 
(shaded black); Sp. spur 
of labellum; An. bilobed 
anther dehiscing by slits; 
R. rostellum, below which 
is the broad stigma(dotted); 
Ov. inferior ovary, twisted 
so that posterior side of 
floweris below. 2. pollinia, 
immediately after removal 
by pushing end of pencil 
against rostellum; 3. the 
same a little later. 
The centre of the 
or top of the pistil with a 
1 Though two fertile stamens are present, they only produce as much pollen 
as one, for each has but one anther lobe. 
T 
