THE CAMPANULAS 89 



them, however, occur in Lowland and Subalpine 

 Switzerland, where other fine Bell-flowers are also 

 conspicuous. 



Another Alpine species, which is very common, is 

 the Bearded Campanula (C. barbata, Linn.) (Plate 

 XVIII., Fig. 2). It is frequent in the pastures and 

 in shady spots in July. In contrast to the intense 

 deep blue colour of Campanula rotundifolia, and 

 especially C. Scheuckzeri, the bell of the Bearded 

 Campanula is of the most delicate shade of pale 

 Cambridge blue. Between each of the calyx-lobes 

 there is a little triangular appendage, turned back- 

 wards against the base of the bell. The edge of the 

 lobes of the corolla is also fringed with a beard of 

 hairs, hence'the specific name " barbata." These hairs 

 project over the mouth of the inverted bell (Plate 

 XVIII., Fig. 2), and it seems probable that their 

 function, like that of the five little triangular, back- 

 ward^ directed appendages of the corolla, is to 

 prevent the entrance into the bell of small creeping 

 insects in search of nectar, which might otherwise 

 crawl along the flower- stalk and rob the honey. 

 Such unbidden guests (p. 275) would be of no ser- 

 vice to the plant, for they would probably not visit 

 another flower of the same species, and thus no cross- 

 fertilisation would result. 



The three Campanulas above described are the 

 commoner Alpine species. C. cenisia, Linn. 1 (Plate 

 XVII., Fig. 2), is a somewhat rare High Alpine form, 



1 The Mont Cenis Campanula. 



