arti] | THE MECHANISMS OF FLOWERS. 263 
shorter stamens are set apart for cross-fertilisation, as they stand 
if below the stigmas and are touched without fail by honey-seeking 
sects. The stigmas, standing in the centre of the narrow flower, 
must be touched first by an insect-visitor. The four longer stamens 
are concerned in self-fertilisation, and stand close round the stigmas, 
which are provided with long stigmatic papille on their outer as 
well as on their inner sides. We must suppose that in case of 
nsect-visits the pollen brought from without predominates in its 
ction over the pollen belonging to the flower. In spite of frequent 
vatching, I have only observed Pieris rape and a Meligethes sucking 
1oney on this plant. 
168. EPILOBIUM ORIGANIFOLIUM, Lam.—This Alpine species is 
— in many respects to E. parviflorum. The flowers are 
mall, tubular, and inconspicuous; the style is unbranched, and 
tig matic papillee form a uniform covering for its upper end. The 
stigma is fully ripe on the opening of the flower, the stamens reach 
maturity a little later. The upper whorl of stamens performs self- 
ertilisation regularly, while the lower whorl provides for occasional 
crossing. Argynnis Pales was observed sucking several flowers. 
Epilobium -hirsutum, L.—The flowers of this species, whose 
osy corolla expands to a diameter of 25 to 30 mm., are, taken 
Fig. 87.—Epilobium hirsutum, L. 
ir naly, still more conspicuous than those of EL. angustifoliwm ; but 
2 latter is rendered the more conspicuous of the two by the 
egation of more numerous flowers. I have had no opportunity 
of E ching E. hirsutum in the right places at the right time; but 
rom the arrangement of its flowers, as well as from its less striking 
ippearance, it is probable that its insect-visitors- are not so 
