166 



experiments were restricted to showing that with ail of 

 them the anthers sprlng open In a space, saturated with 

 water-vapour. With ail thèse plants the corolla and stamens 

 react very strongly with Fehling's solution. 



Thèse experiments indicate that the water is withdrawn 

 from the anthers bij an osmotic action, having its origin in 

 the glucose-coniaining tissue. 



I remark hère that the présence of glucose — in so 

 far as we may infer it from the precipitate of cuprous 

 oxide after treatment with Fehling's solution — in other 

 parts of the corolla, is a very common phenomenon (to 

 which I hope to return later) and that it is not restricted 

 to those flowers in which stamens and corolla hâve coalesced. 

 There is rather question hère of a quantitative différence 

 than of a spécial property, peculiar to thèse flowers. 



2, With Stellaria média the epipetalons stamens are 

 mostly abortive, while of the episepalous ones only three 

 hâve remained, as a rule. Thèse three stamens bear at the 

 base on the outside, a gland, secreting nectar. 



If a flower is placed in the moist chamber and one of 

 the stamens is injured with thepincers, the anthers of the 

 uninjured stamens will afterwards burst, but the other 

 remains closed. And when loose anthers from the flower 

 are placed in the moist chamber, together with an intact 

 flower, the loose anthers remain closed, while the anthers 

 of the flower open. As well the petals as the stamens 

 precipitate cuprous oxide from Fehling's solution; also 

 the tissue at the base of the sepals reacts with it. But 

 the bursting of the anthers stands in no relation to this; 

 if the petals are removed, this has no influence on the 

 resuit of the just mentioned experiment. 



The experiment indicates that the water is withdrawn 

 from the anthers by the osmotic action, proceeding from 

 the nectary. 



