Lilies and Onions 2a7 
given to cross-fertilisation, when the Humble-bees, 
such as Bombus hortorum, visit it. Should their 
visits not take place until after the anthers have 
burst, there is a possibility of self-fertilisation taking 
place; but every effort is made to avert this, the 
anthers turning on their hinges so as to place the 
pollen-covered surface as far away from the stigmas 
as possible. In order to reach the honey the bees 
have to creep right into the flower, and in so doing 
to bring their head and fore-legs into contact with 
stigmas and anthers. Should the latter be ripe, they 
take away a liberal load of pollen for the next flower. 
The Bog Asphodel (Nartheciwm ossifraguim) before 
it flowers looks like a miniature Flag,its leaves being 
of the same sword shape. The flowers are much on 
the Garlic plan, but coloured bright golden yellow 
within and greenish without. The Scottish Asphodel 
(Tofieldia palustris) is very similar, but the flowers 
are much smaller, and yellowish-white in colour; 
these are not very conspicuous, but the provision of 
honey by the carpels attracts short-tongued insects, 
and in default of their attendance there is a good 
chance of self-fertilisation owing to the anthers and 
stigmas maturing together. Both these plants have 
a creeping rootstock, instead of a bulb. 
The sole remaining tribe of Lilies to be glanced at 
consists of Herb Paris (Paris quadrifolia), a local 
plant of the woodlands. It is placed at the end of 
the family because it is an anomaly. Its creeping 
rootstock sends up a simple stem with a whorl of four 
large broadly-oval leaves, above which is the solitary 
flower, consisting of from three to five (usually four) 
long lance-shaped sepals, as many narrower yellow 
