CHAP III. EUBIACE^E. 131 



stamens of the short-styled form increased in length, 

 they gradually acquired the highly beneficial power 

 of rotating on their own axes. But he has further 

 shown, by the careful examination of many flowers. 

 that this power has not as yet been perfected; and, 

 consequently, that a certain proportion of the pollen 

 is rendered useless, namely, that from the anthers 

 which do not rotate properly. It thus appears that 

 the development of the plant has not as yet been com- 

 pleted ; the stamens have indeed acquired their proper 

 length, but not their full and perfect power of rotation.* 

 The several points of difference in structure between 

 the two forms of Faramea are highly remarkable. 

 Until within a recent period, if any one had beon 

 shown two plants which differed in a uniform manner 

 in the length of their stamens and pistils, in the 

 form of their stigmas, in the manner of dehiscence 

 and slightly, in the size of their anthers, and to an 

 extraordinary degree in the diameter and structure of 

 their pollen-grains, he would have declared it impos- 

 sible that the two could have belonged to one and the 

 same species. 



SOTEEIA (species unnamed in the herbarium at Kew) 



I owe to the kindness of Fritz Mliller dried flowers of this 

 plant from St. Catharina, in Brazil. In the long-styled form the 

 stigma stands in the mouth of the corolla, above the anthers, 



* Fritz Miiller gives another cordance with the nocturnal Imbita 



instance of the want of absolute of these insects, most of the flowi-rs 



perfection in the flowers of another open only during the night; but 



member of the Rubiacese, namely, some open in the day, and tlxi 



Posoqiieria fragrans, which is pollen of such flowers is robbed, CH 



adapted in a most wonderful man- Fritz Miiller has often seen, by 



ner for cross- fertilisation by the humble-bees and other insects, 



agency of moths. (See ' But. without any benefit being thus 



Zuitung,' 18G6, No. 17.) In ac- conferred on the plant. 



