156 GENTIANA ADNREWSII. CLOSED GENTIAN. 



for 1875, Mr. M. W. Vansenburg shows that the stigmas are at 

 first below the mature polleniferous anthers, and that the pistil, 

 as it grows, pushes the stigmata through the mass, and are thus 

 self-fertilized and not by insect aid. In the " Bulletin of the Tor- 

 rey Botanical Club," for 1877, Dr. Kunze confirms Mr. Vansen- 

 burg's observations about the growth of the pistil, and he con- 

 cludes that the flowers are truly cleistogene and derive no aid 

 from insects. At p. 179, following in the same volume. Professor 

 Gray says at Cambridge the '-corolla opens like other Gen- 

 tians; " and because of the conspicuous and high-colored flowers, 

 and other reasons, concludes that they must be designed for 

 cross-fertilization. In a succeeding volume, another observer 

 offers some reasons for concluding that the plant may behave 

 differently in different localities ; but this summary of what lead- 

 ing botanists believe shows how much there is yet to be posi- 

 tively ascertained in relation to this beautiful wild flower. 



The colors vary with the situation in which the plants grow. 

 In partial shade, under which they are sometimes found, the flowers 

 have much more blue in them than when in more exposed places. 

 The specimen we have chosen for illustration was growing in an 

 unusually open place. In such cases there is a brownish ten- 

 dency with the purple. 



