CORN CROMWELL 



147 



terminal, with long leaf-like bracts. The calyx is equal to, or slightly 

 shorter than, the corolla, lengthening in fruit, and spreading, containing 

 3 or 4 pale-brown, polished nutlets, which are covered with dots, and 

 wrinkled. 



The plant is normally quite 2 ft. in height. It flowers in May and 

 June. It is annual, propagated by seeds. 



The honey, which is scanty, is protected by hairs and secreted at 

 the base of the tube near 

 the smooth ovary, the tube 

 being 4-5 mm. long, i mm. 

 wide in the lowest part. The 

 stamens are inserted on the 

 corolla below the middle. 

 The anthers open inwards 

 longitudinally, and pollen is 

 set free before the flower 

 opens, though in some the 

 stigma is ripe first. The 

 short style (2 mm.) ends in 

 two small rounded lobes, 

 with ring-like lobes beneath, 

 which are covered with warts. 

 They are level with the an- 

 thers, and take up the space 

 to the base of the flowers. 

 The stamens curve outwards 

 at the top and guide the in- 

 sect's proboscis to the flower 

 centre, so that it passes be- 

 tween the anthers and the 

 stigma. If in a young flower an insect thrusts its proboscis which 

 bears pollen from another flower into it, it cross-pollinates it, and 

 fresh pollen also adheres to the proboscis. As pollen is withdrawn it 

 is finally self-pollinated, a mode which is necessary on account of the 

 few insect visits and small flowers, growing amongst corn. It is visited 

 by the butterflies, Large White (Pieris brassicce), Small White (P. 

 rapes], and by bees and Syrphidae. 



The smooth nutlets when ripe fall around the parent plant, or are 

 dispersed directly by birds, game, &c. 



Gromwell is a sand plant, growing on rock soils which afford a 

 sand soil. 



. A. R. Hopwo* 



CORN GROMWELL (Lithospermum arvense, L.) 



