40O CHARACTER OF VEGETABLE VITALITY. CHAP. XI. 



ral British species of Drosera, or Sun-dew, of which 

 a very full and satisfactory account is given in the 

 second volume of Withering's Arrangements, under 

 the head of this genus. 

 Berberis But sometimes the irritability resides in the 



commu- ji- i 



nis, flower, and has its seat either in the stamens or style. 

 The former case is exemplied in the flower of the 

 Berberry, the stamens of which when undisturbed 

 lie reclined upon the petals, and shelter the anthers 

 under their concave tips. But if the inner side of 

 the filament is accidentally or intentionally touched 

 with any fine instrument or other pointed substance, 

 the stamen immediately bends itself inwards till its 

 anther strikes against the stigma. This fact had 

 been long known to botanists, but it remained to 

 be ascertained whether the susceptibility in question 

 was confined to the inner side of the filament merely,, 

 or whether it pervaded the whole stamen. With this 

 object in view, Sir J. E. Smith, having procured some 

 flowers fully blown, on the 25th of May, JJ86, ex- 

 amined them with great care, and after applying 

 the point of a quill or fine bristle with all possible 

 delicacy to every part of the surface of the stamen, 

 he found that it no where exhibited any indications 

 of susceptibility except on the inner side of the fila- 

 ment and towards the base. It had been thought 

 that the stamens possessed this property only at the 

 time of shedding the pollen; but Sir J. E. Smith 

 found that they possess it at all ages, and even when 

 the petal with its annexed filament has fallen to the 



