Structural Characteristics 143 



whole Floral Kingdom. Each style-branch is opposite 

 one of the falls, and its extremity is two-cleft, the 

 two divisions or ears being called " crests" (Fig. XX, 

 10, page 130). Just below the crests, on the outside 

 of the style-branch is a transverse lip or movable 

 shelf (in a few varieties but little more than a transverse 

 ridge) and its upper surface is the stigma (Fig. XX, 9, 

 page 130 and Fig. LVI, st). Between the style- 

 branch and the fall, inserted in the base of the latter, 

 is the stamen, which is much shorter than the style- 

 branch and nestles close against it, having at its 

 extremity its anther containing the pollen (see under 

 Process of Pollination in Chapter X), turned outward 

 and overhung by the stigmatic lip (Fig. XX, 7 and 9, 

 page 130 and Fig. LVI, an). By this arrangement 

 it is practically impossible for the flower to become 

 pollinated except by external agency, as by bees. 

 See further, about the stamen, under Process of Pollin- 

 ation in Chapter X. 



NECTAR-PIT. The nectar of the flower is in a 

 little pit at the top of the perianth-tube, formed by 

 union of the segments and the style-branches. When 

 a bee, alighting on one of the falls, crawls forward 

 between the fall and the stamen, to reach the nectar, 

 its back becomes dusted with pollen from the anther. 

 On backing out it pushes the lip upward and 

 inward, thereby not coming in contact with its 

 upper (the stigmatic) surface. When it enters 

 another flower some of the previously acquired pollen is 



