DEVIL'S BIT SCABIOUS 



47 



developing towards the centre. A fleshy ring above the ovary at the 

 base of the style secretes honey, which collects in the narrow mouth of 

 the tube 3-4 mm. long. Above the smooth part this is lined with 

 hairs to exclude rain. The tube widens above to 2 mm., and four (or 

 five) rounded lobes of the corolla (the external being largest) are" easily 

 thrust open, and the honey can be reached by short-lipped insects. 

 The florets are conspicuous, and in sunny weather many insects settle 

 upon them. The anthers 

 ripen first, and anthers and 

 stigmas ripen separately, 

 so it is cross-pollinated. 

 The stamens are bent 

 inwards in bud, and 

 straighten one by one 

 when the flower opens, 

 then when the style 

 scarcely projects beyond 

 the corolla the anthers 

 open in succession. When 

 the stamens are quite 

 withered, and the anthers 

 if the flower has been 

 visited are shaken off, the 

 style lengthens and the 

 stigma is clammy, and it 

 can only be pollinated if 

 an anther is still dusted 

 with pollen and acciden- 

 tally touches the stigma. 



DEVIL'S BIT SCABIOI s (Scabiosa succisa, L.) 



The visitors are Hy- 



menoptera (Apis, Bombus, Andrcna, Halictus], Diptera (JExoprosopa, 

 Hclophilus, Eristalis, Syrplius, Rhingia, Empis, Luc ilia, Musca), 

 Lepidoptera (Small White (Picris rapa), Meadow Brown (Epin- 

 cplicle (Satyrus) janira], Small Copper (Cliry soph anus (Polyommatus] 

 phlcras}, Silver Y Moth (Plusia gamma}, Botys piirpurahs}, Coleoptera 

 ( Cry 'toccphahis scriccus). 



The fruits are surrounded by the four calyx-lobes, which do not 

 fall, and being light these aid the wind in dispersing the fruit. 



Devil's Bit Scabious is a clay-loving plant, growing in clay soil 

 or sandy loam on a variety of rock soils. 



A fungus (LJslilago Scabiosa) attacks the anthers and forms 



