568 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 
pollen from being misappropriated. I have not seen any species 
of Levenhookia ; but from the description given in ‘“ Bentham’s 
Flora,” should imagine that the insect, instead of being struck by 
the column, is dashed against it by the sensitive labellum, and the 
flower thus fertilised. In any case, the insect is to be pitied for 
its rough reception. 
Mimvuxius Uvepatia2, Bentham. 
The stigma in this species is in the form of two flat plates 
joined at the lower end, one plate hanging down over the passage 
in the flower and in advance of the two pairs of anthers. This 
plate is sensitive, and, touched ever so lightly, flies up and closes 
against its fellow. An insect coming into the flower would brush 
against the hanging stigmatic plate, which would sweep along the 
insect’s back and close in the manner described. The insect, there- 
fore, on leaving the flower with pollen on its back, could not 
deposit any on the stigma ; while if it had any on its back on its 
first entrance, the hanging stigmatic plate would have swept it 
up and the flower been fertilised. After the lapse of a few 
minutes the sensitive plate resumes its original hanging position 
in the passage within the flower. Fertilisation by its own pollen, 
therefore, becomes very improbable while cross-fertilisation is 
favoured. 
DoLICHANDRONE FILIFORMIS, Seemann. 
The form of the flower and the disposition of the essential organs 
is exactly that of AZimulus Uvedalie, described above, and cross- 
fertilisation is favoured in the same way. ‘The stigmatic plate is, 
however, not nearly so sensitive. 
While on this subject I cannot refrain from departing from the 
title of my paper, and noticing a few plants which are not Aus- 
tralian. It would seem rather peculiar that two genera so widely 
sundered by systematists, as Mimulus and Dolichandrone, should 
both possess a stigma identical in form and also sensitive. The 
sensitive stigma is, however, not limited to these genera. I have 
examined a considerable number of species of the following genera, 
viz. :—Martynia, Torenia, Tecoma, Bignonia, and Kigelia, and all 
possess a more or less sensitive stigma, identical in shape and 
position. The anthers are also placed in the same relative posi- 
tion, and the form of the flower is the same, 
I can conceive a plant losing one or more characteristics, and, 
perhaps, acquiring others ; but for a great number of species to 
acquire many identical characteristics I cannot deem possible. To 
my mind, the only explanation possible is that the genera I have 
mentioned, as well as Mimulus and Dolichandrone, derive the 
sensitive stigma and other family features from an ancient 
