POLLEN. 



97 



mother-cells, united together in fours, and in this condition they leave the anther- 

 cavities. These little pollen-aggregates are termed tetrads. Examples of such 

 plants are: — the Ericaceae {Erica, Calliina, Menziesia, Andromeda), the Bearberry 

 (Arctostaphylos), the Strawberry Tree {Ä7'butus), the Alpine Rose (Rhododendron), 

 Ledum, Kalmia, the Cranberry and Bilberry {Vaccinium)\ the Epacridaceae, 

 Epacris and Leucoijogon; many Winter-greens (Pyrolacese); a few Sedges (Juncus 

 Jacquinii and Luzula vernalis); finally Anona, Drimys, Jussieua. In the plants 

 just enumerated the tetrads correspond to the four pollen-cells in the corners of the 

 mother-cell (c/. fig. 219 ^); but in the Apocynaceae {Apocynum, Periploca), in 

 numerous Orchids (Ophrys, Spiranthes), in Fourcroya (nearly related to Agave), 

 and in several Bulrushes {Typha Shuttleworthii and latifoha), the four pollen-cells 

 are arranged in one plane. In a few Willow-herbs (e.g. Epilohium montanu7)i and 

 hirsiit'um) the four cells are joined, but so slightly that they are readily separated 

 on pressure. 



Of much rarer occurrence than tetrads are pollinia. This name is given to the 

 resultant mass of pollen-cells, when the whole of the pollen produced from a single 

 archesporium {i.e. the whole contents of a pollen-sac) remain joined together into 

 a tissue. A pollinium may consist of 8, 12, 64, or even many hundreds of pollen- 

 cells. In the Mimoseae the pollinia, which are found serially arranged, are 

 lenticular, egg-shaped, or globular in form; in the Asclepiads they are spatulate, 

 and consist of hundreds of pollen-cells. The pollen-masses of many Orchids are 

 built up of numerous little clusters of pollen-cells, and show a branching or lobing; 

 each of these clusters or lobes consists of greater or smaller pollinia. The masses, 

 into which the pollinia of Orchids are aggregated, usually terminate in a stalk 

 which is attached at its other end to a disc. This disc is so sticky that it readily 

 adheres to any object coming in contact with it— a fact of significance in the 

 conveyance of the pollinia from flower to flower by insects. 



The dimensions of pollen-grains are very various in different groups of plants. 

 Thus, whilst in the Forget-me-not {Myosotis), Borage {Borago), Comfrey {Symphy- 

 tum), and Boragineae generally, as also in Artocarpeae (e.g. Ficus), the pollen-grains 

 are very small, in Cannaceae, Malvacese, Cucurbitaceae, and Nyctagineae, they are 

 relatively large. The following table of diameters of pollen-grains shows the 

 variation which exists in this respect: — 



Myosotis alpestris, 

 Lithospernium ajßne, 

 Ficus pumila, . . . 

 Carinthe minor, 

 Echium vulgare, 

 Filea microphijlla, 

 Rhamnus cathartica, 

 Syringa vulgaris. 

 Aloe denticulata, 

 Yucca angiistifolia, 



Millimetres. 

 0-0025-0-0034 

 0-0042-0-0052 

 0-0045-0-0056 

 0-0050-0-(:)057 

 0-010 -0-01-1 

 0-018 -0-020 

 0-022 -0-032 

 0-024 -0-034 

 0-035 -0-050 

 0-055 -0-065 



Viola tricolor, 

 Convolvulus sepium. 

 Geranium Rohertia num, 

 Opuntia cynanchica, 

 Oxyhaphus nyctagineus, . 

 Morina Persica, ... 

 Cucurbita Pepo, ... 

 Mirabilis longiflora, ... . 

 Cucumis Mela, 

 Mirahilis Jalapa, 



Millimetres. 

 0-062-0-071 

 0-076-0-084 

 0-085-0-094 

 0-15 -0-20 

 0-18 -0-22 

 0-19 -0-24 

 0-20 -0-23 

 0-20 -0-24 

 0-20 -0-24 

 0-22 -0-25 



The pollen-grains of the Marvel of Peru {Mirabilis Jalapa) are consequently 

 Vol. II. 57 



