SWEET VIOLET 19 



The insects visiting it are Hymenoptera (Apidse), Diptera (Bomby- 

 lidse), Lepidoptera (Small Tortoise-shell Butterfly, Vanessa urticce, 

 Brimstone, Rhodocera rharm^l). To prevent rain reaching the honey 

 the flower is borne on a long stalk, and the pollen is by this means 

 allowed to fall and to be secreted between the free ends of the 

 stamens and the pistil, i.e. not at their base. The pollen is loose 

 and dry, assisting it to remain between the anthers and the pistil. 

 The style is thin below, for insects to bend it, and is curved. The 



SWEET VIOLET (Viola odorata, L.) 



Photo. J. H. Crabtree 



membranous extremity of the upper anther-stalks overlaps the ends 

 of the two middle stigmas, so that the bee can move the pistil and 

 get at the pollen more easily by setting it free. There are lines on 

 the carpels which serve as honey-guides. 



There are two kinds of flowers, one large and much visited by 

 insects; the other smaller ones are not so much visited, as they have 

 no scent or honey, and the corolla is absent or rudimentary. They are 

 called cleistogamic flowers, and secure pollination with little effort. 

 The anthers have little pollen. They are at first like ordinary buds, 

 the carpels occupying the middle. 



The spring flowers are coloured, the others have no corolla in the 



