in.] SILENE, STELLARIA. 73 



tube, in the position of the honey, and in being 

 distinctly proterandrous. 



Silene nutans is a very interesting species. The 

 life of the flower lasts three days, or rather, three 

 nights. The first evening it opens towards dusk, 

 becomes very fragrant, and expands its petals, 

 while five of the ten anthers burst and expose their 

 pollen. So it remains all night. Towards morning, 

 however, the odour ceases, the petals shrivel and roll 

 up, the stamens drop, and the flower looks dead. 

 The next evening, however, it again opens, again 

 emits a sweet scent, and the second series of five 

 anthers open. Towards morning it again loses its 

 smell, and again closes. The third evening it opens 

 as before, but now the pistil has come to maturity, 

 and the stigmas occupy the position, which the two 

 previous nights had been filled by the anthers. 



In Silene inflata (the Bladder Campion) there are, 

 according to Axell (" Om Anord. for de Fan. Vax. Bef." 

 p. 46), three kinds of flowers ; some with stamens 

 only, some with a pistil only, some with both. 



In Stellaria graminea (Fig. 62) the honey-glands 

 are situated at the base of the five outer stamens. 

 The flowers pass through three stages ; firstly , that 

 in which the five outer stamens are mature, and 

 incline towards the middle of the flower. In the 

 second, the five inner stamens are mature. Lastly, 

 the stigmas rise and expand themselves, while the 

 stamens gradually shorten and shrivel up. Before 

 this is accomplished, however, the stigmas have 

 curled over and come into contact with the anthers, 

 so that if the visits of insects are deferred, the flower 

 fertilises itself. Stellaria Holostea is more conspicuous, 



