HONEY GUIDES. 



CHAPTER XI. 



Flowers u.siuilly have hut a .sinirle, uniform color, de- 

 pending upon the species ; tliere uie, however, many which 

 are variegated with more or le»^s reguUir spots, streaks, dots, 

 and "eyes," of a different color, usually in strong contrast 

 with the predominating hue. 



When these additional colors are contined to a single 

 petal, they generally point to the spur of the Hower if it 

 has one, or to the nectary or depressit)n containing the 

 sweet secretions; they are known as "honey guides," or 

 " pathfinders, " for the reason that they have been supposed 

 of use in guiding insects to the nectar. 



Examples of the guide-markings may be seen in the 

 following flowers : 



Mi)i/iilus rinyens of a lavender-blue, has a yellow spot at 

 the throat. 



Pontederia cordala, ))ickerel-weed, violet-j)ur[)le, has a 

 two-lobed yellow dot on the middle of the uj)per 

 three-lobed petal. 



Lef>pedeza poly stack ija, cream-color, has a [)uri)lc si)ot on 

 the standard. 



Sisyrinchium. ((U(/ii,s(iJ'oUi(m, blue, h;is a yellow eye. 



Solanum dulcamara, violet-purple, has ten round green 

 dots, two to each {)etal, surrounding the column of 

 stamens. 



In garden Balsam of many vai'ieties, the honey-guide is 

 a meie yellow dot of the size of a [)in liead, and is found 

 on one of the sei)als I 



Tropd'olum or nasturtium, yellow or orange, has })urple- 

 maroon veins or wider stri})es, mostly on the two upper 

 petals. 



