HORRIBLE-SMELLING FLOWERS 



the true edible fig. Inside the caprifig are the grubs of the 

 fig- wasp, which rejoice in the name of Blastophaga grossorum. 

 When grown up these force their way out of the caprifig 

 and, flying to the true fig, the mother-wasp lays her eggs in 

 certain flowers which have been apparently specially modified 

 for the purpose. At the same time she covers the ordinary 

 flowers with pollen from the caprifig. Her progeny return 

 to the caprifig. Here again the future of a valuable fruit- 

 tree is absolutely bound up with the fortunes of a tiny and 

 in no way attractive wasp ! 



Another very remarkable case is that of those flowers 

 (Stapelia, etc.), which in colour and general marking closely 

 resemble decaying meat or other objectionable substances. 

 Very often the smell of such flowers is exceedingly strong, and 

 resembles the ordinary smell of putrid matter. In one case 

 an artist employed to paint the flower had to use a glass 

 bell, which was put over it. He could only lift it for a 

 second or two at intervals in order to see the exact colour, 

 before the horrible odour obliged him to cover it over again. 

 Blow-flies and others, which are in the habit of resorting to 

 such substances, seek out these flowers in great numbers and 

 lay their eggs upon them. In so doing they carry the pollen. 



There are certain fungi which have quite as horrible a 

 smell, and some of them also resemble decaying animal 

 matter. These are most eagerly sought out by the same 

 blow- and other flies (bright green lucilias, yellow-brown 

 scatophagas, bluebottles, etc.). But in the case of these fungi 

 it is the spores, not pollen, which is carried by the insect. 



The effect of this flowery sort of life is abundantly evident 

 in the structure of the insects themselves. Their mouth has 

 been most wonderfully modified into a complex sucking 

 apparatus ; their legs have been transformed to act as poUen- 



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