FLORAL MECHANISMS 107 



Several flowers of the Bean family, by the 

 growth and elongation of their stamens, force the 

 pollen forward into the bow of the little boat-petal, 

 where it remains in a compressed state till some- 

 thing happens to release it. 



GROUND-NUT Apios tuberosa 

 August-Sept. 



A floral surprise awaits you in the flower of the 

 ground-nut, a native 

 wild flower, whose 

 beauty passes unap- 

 preciated, probably 

 because its handsome 

 clusters are com- 

 posed of flowers of 

 such deep maroon 

 and delicate lilac as 

 to attract little at- 

 tention, though the 

 bees find them 

 through their rich 

 fragrance. The sin- 

 gle flower has a 

 strange, quaint form, 

 remotely resembling 

 that of the pea or GROUND-NUT 



