358 



THE HIGHER DICOTYLEDONS. 



and the flower is protected against rain by the hood-like 

 upper corolla-lip. In Toadflax and Snapdragon, however, 

 the flowers stand erect, instead of being horizontal or pen- 

 dulous, and the corolla- mouth is closed by the bulge or 

 " palate " of the lower lip, so that it can only be opened by a 

 heavy and strong insect ; these flowers are visited by humble- 

 bees, which often bite holes at the bulging base of the 

 corolla-tube in Snapdragon. In the Musk or Monkey-flower 

 (Mimulus) notice the curious stigma, with two flat lobes: 

 what happens if the stigma is touched on the inner surface, 

 and how will this help as regards pollination ? 



Figwort (Scrophularia), which is largely visited by wasps, 

 is protogynous. In the newly opened flower (Fig. 147) the 

 style lies in the mouth of the corolla above the lower lip, but 

 the anthers are still closed and hidden in the corolla-tube, 

 the filaments being curved ; next day, or a little later, the 



.STAMINODE 



STIGMA 

 STAMENS 1 



STYLE 



NECTARY 



Fig. 147. Figwort (Scrophularia). 



a, Flower when first opened ; b. Longitudinal section of same ; c, Flower day or two 

 later. In c the style and stigma are now withering, while the anthers are exposed 

 and about to open. 



style withers and falls on the front of the corolla, the visiting 

 insect rubs the stigma and anthers with its under side in this 

 case. The female stage is now over, and, unless cross- 

 pollination has occurred, no seeds are formed. Then the 

 filaments unbend, bringing the anthers up to the position 

 formerly occupied by the stigma, and a bee probing for the 

 honey at the base of the corolla-tube is dusted with pollen. 



