202 THE FERTILISATION OF FLOWERS. [PART III. 
117. Victa Cracca, L.—The Vetches afford an instance of how 
much caution is needed before drawing conclusions for a whole 
genus from a single species. Delpino describes a brush of hairs 
upon the style as a character of the genus Vicia, without mention- 
ing what species he observed it in (178); but his description 
applies only vaguely to V. sepium, and not at all to V. Cracca, In 
other peculiarities of structure the Vetches which I have examined 
show remarkable diversity. | 
In V. Cracca the style is very short (about 13 mm. long), and 
for some distance below the stigma it is covered with long, slanting - 
hairs (5, Fig. 68). Though the hairs are longer and closer on the 
outer side than on the inner, they form a cylindrical brush rather 
Fic. 68.—Vicia Cracea, L. 
1.—Flower, from the side (x 3). 
2.—Ditto, after removal of calyx and vexillum, from above, a little more magnified. 
8.—Ditto, after removal of the ale also. 
4.—Inner view of left ala. 
5.—Style, highly magnified. . 
a, b, anterior and posterior infoldings of the superior border of the ala; a’, b’,.corresponding de- — 
pressions in the carina; ¢, process, a lobe of the superior border of the ala, directed backwards — 
and inwards; d, claw of ala; e, claw of carina; jf, swollen point of the carina, containing. the 
pollen ; g, superior basal lobes of carina; h, honey; p, brush; 0, orifice for exit of style; st, stigma. 
than a basket (cestella) as Delpino describes them. The anthers, 
which lie close round the brush of hairs, dehisce and shed their 
pollen upon the hairs when the flower has scarcely attained half 
its full size; and the stigma, which is overtopped all round but 
especially on the outer side by hairs, is also covered with pollen, 
The brush of hairs, thus covered above and all round with pollen, lies 
in a pouch of the flattened tip of the carina (f, 2, 3), and emerges 
when the carina is depressed from the narrow slit at its tip. | 
As in other Papilionaces, the carina is depressed by means of the 
ale, which are firmly connected with it and which serve as long 
levers on which the insect alights. | 
Kach ala is connected at two points with the margin of the 
