THE HIGHER DICOTYLEDONS. 347 



In Comfrey (Symphytum) the mechanism is somewhat 

 similar to that of Borage, for the flowers droop and the 

 pollen is shaken out of a cone formed by the anthers and the 

 scales which alternate with them. The bee gets at the honey 

 by poking its tongue between the scales and anthers ; the 

 scales, with their hairy edges, prevent small insects from 

 entering the flower. 



Many other plants of this family have blue bee-flowers, 

 e.g. Anchusa [A. italica is commonly grown in gardens] ; 

 Lungwort has heterostyled flowers ; [Heliotrope, with sweetly 

 scented flowers, etc., are also cultivated.] 



" Many species in the course of their individual develop- 

 ment seem to recapitulate to us the evolution of their colours 

 white, rosy, blue in several species of Myosotis; yellow, 



CORONA' X*lftk Ifi^ -SEPAL 



NECfTARY 



/X V_J ^NECTARY 

 OVARY Vtf^ 



Fig. 139. Borage (Borago officinalis). Vertical Section of Flower. 



bluish, violet in M . versicolor and red, violet, blue in Pulmo- 

 naria, Echium, etc. Here white and yellow seem to have 

 been the primitive colours ; and, at least in many cases, violet 

 and blue seem to have been preceded by red an assumption 

 which is strengthened by the fact that many blue and violet 

 species (Myosotis, Anchusa, Symphytum) give us white and 

 rose-red varieties, apparently by revers to more primitive 

 characters." (Miiller.) 



354. White Dead-nettle (Lamium album) is common on 

 roadsides, especially near houses, farms, and refuse heaps. It 

 is a rather hairy plant, with a perennial creeping rhizome, which 

 gives off (1) branches which grow horizontally in the soil, (2) 

 branches which soon turn upwards and come above ground. 



