FLORAL MECHANISMS 91 



OSWEGO TEA; BEE-BALM Monarda didyma 

 July-Sept, 



This member of the Mint family has an interest- 

 ing arrangement of pistils and stamens. All of 

 them are held up out of way of insect approach 

 by a tube-like fold in the upper petal. I have 

 noticed, however, that the bases of the filaments 

 partly bar the way to 

 the throat and honey 

 passage. Therefore, I 

 tried a bristly head, 

 like that of a bee, 

 thrusting it far into the 

 throat; and upon with- 

 drawing it I entangled the 

 filaments as by a lasso, pulled 

 out the stamens, separated 

 the anthers, and procured a 

 charge of pollen. This act also 

 liberated the unripe pistil which, 

 developing later, and falling down, was now in a 

 position to receive other pollen. 



Insect visitors are the bumblebee and butter- 

 flies, Colias philodice and black-and-tan Danias 

 archippus. 



Another of the Mint family should find its place 

 here among the remarkable floral mechanisms. 



