INSECTS AND FLOWERS 189 



gnome's caps. The Cuckoo-pint is the English 

 Arum, our native representative of the larger 

 tropical plant which we take such pains to culti- 

 vate in our conservatories. It is an interesting 

 plant in many ways, and well worth a little 

 attention. The gnome-cap is not really any 

 part of the flower at all, but a protecting outer 

 leaf or spathe surrounding a number of very 

 small flowers. Externally we notice that the 

 spathe narrows downward to a kind of waist 

 or constriction, and then broadens out slightly. 

 Inside, our attention is at once attracted by 

 the curious green or purplish-coloured, club- 

 shaped spike, standing straight up like a barber's 

 pole; and, like the barber's pole, intended to 

 attract attention, though the message it is 

 intended to convey has nothing to do with 

 shaving and hair-cutting, but that certain species 

 of small midges which frequent the neighbour- 

 hood of the Cuckoo-pints in considerable 

 numbers, will find within the spathe comfort- 

 able quarters and an abundant supply of food. 

 Now let us slit open the spathe so that we can 

 examine the entire length of the barber's pole. 

 We shall find that below the centre it is encircled 

 by a number of curious little knobs and stiffish 

 hairs, arranged in tiers. The knobs on the 

 lowest part of the stem are the female flowers, 

 minus any calyx or corolla, and each consisting 

 of a single ovary. Directly above these come 

 the male flowers, also devoid of calyx or corolla, 

 and each consisting of a single stamen. Above 

 these again, and occupying a place on the main 

 stem, just opposite the waist-like constriction 



