i.] SALVIA. IS) 



the same object is secured by the fact that the stamens 

 come to maturity before the pistil ; they shed their 

 pollen, and shrivel up before the stigma is mature. 



Fig. 14 represents a young flower of Salvia officinalis, 

 in which the stamens (a a) are mature, but not the pistil 

 (p), which, moreover, from its position, is untouched 

 by bees visiting the flower; as shown in Fig. 15. The 

 anthers, as they shed their pollen, gradually shrivel up ; 

 while, on the other hand, the pistil increases in length 

 and curves downwards, until it assumes the position 

 shown in Fig. 16, st, where, as is evident, it must come 

 in contact with any bee visiting the flower, and would 

 touch just that part of the back on which pollen would 

 be deposited by a younger flower. In this, manner 

 cross-fertilisation is effectually secured. 



There are, however, several other curious points in 

 which S. officinalis differs greatly from the species last 

 described. 



The general form of the flower, indeed, is very simi- 

 lar. We find again that, as generally in the Labiates, 

 the corolla has the lower Up adapted as an alighting 

 board for insects, while the arched upper lip covers and 

 protects the stamens and pistils. 



The arrangement and structure of the stamens is, 

 however, very peculiar and interesting. As in Lamium, 

 they are four in number, but one pair is quite rudi- 

 mentary (Fig. 14). In the other (a a) the two anthers, 

 instead of being attached close together at the summit 

 of the filament, are separated by a long movable rod, or 

 connective (Figs. 17, 18, m), so that they can play freely 

 on the stalk of the stamen. In a natural position, this 

 connective is upright, so that the one anther is situated 



c 2 



