102 MYSTERIES OF THE FLOWERS 



NIGHTSHADE 



NIGHTSHADE Solanum Dulcamara 

 Again we find the ingrowing 

 anthers, and the pollen tube 

 formed thereby, in flowers of the 

 Nightshade or Solanum family 

 the potato, tomato, and Jimson- 

 weed. The fact that the anthers 

 form a close pollen-chamber, 

 opening only in two small 

 pores or "chinks" at the 

 apex, set me to speculating 

 as to their secret mode of shedding pollen. At 

 last I suspected that the pollen-chamber was an 

 air-bag intended to blow out the pollen when com- 

 pressed by some clasping insect, just as the little 

 sand-stars blow out their spores when touched. To 

 test this I took a flower of the nightshade and 

 placed it upon a strip of glass, and at the apex 

 of the anthers put a drop of adhesive Canada 

 balsam. Then, with a quick movement, I flattened 

 the little balloon formed by the anthers, thus com- 

 pressing the air within. I now examined my Can- 

 ada balsam under the microscope, and was grati- 

 fied to find a little cloud of pollen-grains ad- 

 hering, like a cloud of smoke around a cannon's 

 mouth. 



Thus I believe I have solved the mystery of the 



