400 



HUTCHINSON'S POPULAR BOTANY 



FIG. 492. POLLEN OF 

 EVENING PRIMROSE 



((Enothera biennis). 



FIG. 493. POLLEN OF 

 PUMPKIN (Cucurbito pepo). 



FIG. 494. POLLEN OF PAS- 

 SION-FLOWER (Passiflora). 



other inflorescences on the same or on a neigh- 

 bouring Fig-tree." If the latter, and the tree 

 happens to be a " female tree " in an early stage 

 of development, the result may be anticipated. 

 The little visitors gain an entrance, perhaps tearing 

 or even losing their wings on the sharp scales 

 near the aperture, and, as they bustle about the 

 hollow inflorescence, the pollen which they have 

 brought with them gets dusted on the stigmas, and 

 fertilization ensues. 



Odorous flowers are of two kinds, fragant and 

 foetid. The former, which are by far the most 

 numerous, are chiefly visited by bees, butterflies, 

 and moths ; the latter, by carrion-flies and dung- 

 beetles. Arum crinitum, says Hermann Miiller, 

 " attracts carrion-flies by means of its strong odour 

 of putrid flesh. The smaller visitors are held fast 

 by sticky hairs in the 

 floral chamber and di- 

 gested/' He elsewhere 

 affirms that the disgusting 

 smell of the Marsh Calla 

 (G. palustris, fig. 443), 

 serves the double purpose 

 of attracting carrion-flies 

 and repelling injurious 

 animals. This remark would be equally true of 

 the gigantic Ratflesia arnoldi, many Irises, and 

 the remarkable Dragon Arum (A. dracunculus). 



Kerner, with characteristic thoroughness, has 

 proposed to divide the floral scents into five groups, 

 which he names the indoloid, aminoid, benzoloid, 

 paraffinoid, and terpenoid scents a distinct im- 

 provement on Dr. Robert Brown's threefold and 

 somewhat empirical division into superodorants, 

 subodorants, and inodorants. To the indoloid 

 group belong those volatile substances which arise 

 from the decomposition of albuminous compounds, 

 and diffuse into the atmosphere ; and in which one 

 or several benzole nuclei are retained, as well as 

 nitrogen. These compose the greater number of 

 the foetid scents ; and the flowers in which they 

 are developed " resemble animal corpses in their 

 colouring, having usually livid spots, violet streaks, 



FIG. 495. POLLEN OF SCOTS 

 PINE (Pinus sylvestris). 



