5 WAYSIDE AND WOODLAND BLOSSOMS. 



the stigma protrudes. The anthers shed their pollen, which is 

 dry, into this space. Two of the stamens send out each a long 

 tail into the hollow petal-spur, which secretes honey from its tip. 

 The reason why the flower-stalk bends . over is, that the 

 stigma may hang down instead of being erect. A bee smells 

 the honey and alights on the odd petal. The dark lines con- 

 verging to the spur show where the honey lies, but the thick- 

 headed stigma blocks the way. Thrusting in his tongue, the 

 bee pushes the stigma aside with his head, which is the more 

 easily accomplished owing to the thin base of the style. But 

 this act also disarranges the anthers, and as a result the loose 

 pollen drops out upon his hairy head, where it will come in 

 contact with the viscid stigma of the next violet he visits. In 

 this way an occasional cross is effected that the vigour of the 

 race may be maintained, but for ordinary purposes of repro- 

 duction the violet has a more economical method. When the 

 spring season is over the violet ceases to furnish flowers got up 

 for show, and sets about producing buds which will never open 

 (cleistogamous). These are without petals, and contain nothing 

 but the essential organs ; the anthers produce only enough 

 pollen to fertilize the ovules in the ovary, which then develop 

 into perfect seeds. 



Viola odorata is found truly wild only in the S. and E. 

 of England, and possibly the E. of Ireland ; but it is natural- 

 ized in many other parts of the kingdom. Flowers, March to 

 May. The name Viola is Latin, and is that by which the 

 ancients knew it. There are six other British species, which 

 will be found enumerated on page 58. 



The Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor). 



The Lesser Periwinkle is perhaps more familiarly known as a 

 garden plant than as a wild-flower, and the former would 

 appear to be its true character. It is now truly wild, in the 



