102 FLOWERS OF THE HEATHS AND MOORS 



There are 8 anthers on long filaments springing from the base of 

 the ovary. At the end of each are two cells, which are spreading, 

 with an oval aperture below, which, however, does not allow the pollen 

 to escape, as each cell at the aperture rests against the next anther 

 cell, which acts as a sort of cap, the whole series forming a ring round 

 the corolla. The anther-cells are also armed with two horn-like pro- 

 cesses which stick out like the spokes of a wheel. The anthers reach 

 just below the sticky stigma. When an insect visits the flower for the 

 honey it rubs against the stigma first with its head, which in a previous 

 flower was dusted with pollen, and it also, in pushing its proboscis 

 down the tube, pierces the chevaux de frise of anther processes, and 

 these release the pollen in the boxes and shower it upon the visitor's 

 head, ready for the next visit as it were. But if insects do not visit 

 the flower the pollen, when discharged from these boxes, falls on the 

 stigma, which is in the fall line. 



Amongst the insect visitors are Honey-bees, Bombus, Nomada, 

 Volncella. 



The capsule splits open from above, allowing the seeds to fall out 

 or be blown away by the wind. 



Cross-leaved Heath is a humus-loving plant, and almost confined 

 to a humus soil. 



Several beetles live upon it, Harpalus discoideus, Coccinella kiero- 

 glyphica, C. distincta, Byrrhus murinus, Elater sanguinolenta, Haltica 

 criceti, and several Hymenoptera, Miscophus concolor, Colletes succincti, 

 Halictus punctatissimus, Andrena fuscipes, A. argent at a, A. luce us \ 

 Lepidoptera, Fox Moth (Lasiocampa rubi), Saturnia pavonia, Heath 

 Rustic (Agrotis agatkina), True Lover's Knot (A. porphyrcd), Gray 

 Rustic (Noctua neglecta\ &c.; several Heteroptera, Myrmus miri- 

 formis, Berytns crassipes, Nysius lineatus, Ischnorhynchus geminatus, 

 Ischnocoris angiistulus, Macrodema micropterum, Scolopostcthus deco- 

 ratus, &c.; Homoptera, Cixius similis, Ulopa reticulata, Athysanus 

 russcolus, Rhinocola erica 9 . 



Erica, Dioscorides, is from the Greek ereike, heath, and Tetralix 

 from the arrangement of the leaves in fours. 



The Cross-leaved Heath is called Bell-heath, Bell-heather, Broom- 

 heath, Cat-heather, Crow Ling, Grig, Hather, Heath, Bell, Besom, 

 Broom, Father-of- Heath, Heather Bell, Carlin, Ringe Heather, HOIK y 

 Bottle, Ling. This plant was called Ringe Heather because it was 

 used for making rings or wisps made of Heather. Though called 

 Besom Heather in Ray's day it was not used for besoms, "that ever 

 I saw, nor is fit for such a use ". 



