180 



BLUE CUKLS. 



Analysis.- With the plant 

 in hand, the student will easily 

 reply to inquiries like the fol- 

 lowing : What are the duration 

 and form of the root? the 

 attitude and height of the 

 stem ? the length and form 

 of the internodes ? branches? 

 What is the 

 clothing of 

 the plant? 

 What is the 

 arrangement 

 of the leaves? 

 length of 

 petiole ? 

 form of the 

 blade? mar- 

 gin ? apex ? 

 base ? vena- 

 tion? 



FIG. XLIX. Bnm&la vnlgaris : 2, a flower without the calyx, 

 showing the spurred filaments ; 3, plan of the flower ; 4, a flower 

 of Sage (Salvia) ; 5, the 2 stamens in their natural position ; 6, 

 after being tilted over by a bee.* 



* In the com- 

 mon garden Sage 

 (Salvia officinalis), 

 there is a curious 

 device for secur- 

 ing cross-fertiliza- 

 tion. There are 

 but 2 stamens; the 

 2 cells of each an- 

 ther, instead of being close together as is usual, are widely separated by a long con- 

 nective (5, 6). The lower cell contains very little if any pollen, while the upper is 

 full. The connective is fixed to the filament by a pivot, and naturally stands in posi- 

 tion as seen in 5. Meanwhile the stigma is yet immature and high up in the arch, 

 when a bee seeking nectar alights on the door-step the lower lip and entering the 

 tube pushes against the lower anther cells, tilts the connective as seen in 6, bringing 

 the upper cells down on his back. The next flower he visits has perhaps its stigma 

 mature and situated as seen in 4, occupying the same place which was before 

 occupied by the tilted anthers, which have now withered away. The learner may 

 observe these phenomena for himself. 



