970 DROSOPUYLLUM LUSITANICUM. L^uap. XV. 



CHAPTER XV. 



DROSOPUYLLUM RORIDULA BYBLIS GLANDULAR HAIRS OF OTHER 

 PLANTS CONCLUDING REMARKS ON TUE DROSERACE^ 



Drofiophyllum Structure of leaves Nature of the secretion Manner of 

 catching insects Power of absorption Digestion of aninial sub- 

 stiinccs Summary on Drosopliylluni lioridula Byblis Ctlandular 

 hairs of other plants, their power of abs(>ri)tion Saxifraga l*rimula 

 Pelargonium Erica Mirabilis Nicotiana Summary on glandular 

 hairs Concluding remarks on the Droseracese. 



Drosophyllum LUSITANICUM. This rare plant has been 

 found only in Portugal, and, as I hear from Dr. Hooker, in 

 Morocco. I obtained living specimens through the great 

 kindness of Mr.W. C. Tait, and afterwards from Mr. G. Maw 

 and Dr. Moore. Mr. Tait informs me that it grows plenti- 

 fully on the sides of dry hills near Oporto, and that vast 

 numbers of flies adhere to the leaves. This latter fact is 

 well known to the villagers, who call the plant the " fly- 

 catcher," and hang it up in their cottages for this purpose. 

 A plant in my hothouse caught so many insects during the 

 early part of April, although the weather was cold and in- 

 sects scarce, that it must have been in some manner strongly 

 attractive to them. On four leaves of a young and small 

 plant, 8, 10, 14, and IG minute insects, chiefly Diptera, were 

 found in the autumn adhering to them. I neglected to ex- 

 amine the roots, but I hear from Dr. Hooker that they are 

 very small, as in the case of the previously mentioned mem- 

 bers of the same family of the Droseracero. 



The leaves arise from an almost woody axis; they are 

 linear, much attenuated towards their tips, and several 

 inches in length. The upper surface is concave, the lower 

 convex, with a narrow channel down the middle. Both sur- 

 faces, with the exception of the channel, are covered with 

 glands, supported on pedicels and arranged in irregular 

 longitudinal rows. These organs I shall call tentacles, from 

 their close resemblance to those of Drosera, though they 

 have no power of movement. Those on the same leaf differ 



