in.] STELLARIA, HYPERICACE^E. 75 



The inner, honeyless stamens, which in Stellaria 

 minor are often wanting, are in this form always 

 rudimentary, according to Miiller, while Bentham 

 says that the whole number is often present. Both 

 observers are so correct, that there is probably a 

 difference in this respect between English and German 

 specimens. 



Sagina nodosa is also proterandrous ; while Mceh- 

 ringia trinervia is, on the contrary, proterogynous. 



The Caryophyllaceae constitute therefore a very 

 interesting and varied order. As a general rule the 

 more conspicuous the flower, the more decided the 

 dichogamy ; conversely, the smaller the flowers, and 

 therefore the less frequent the visits of insects, the 

 greater are the chances of self-fertilisation. The 

 order also presents us with an interesting series 

 commencing with open-flowered species, the honey 

 of which is accessible even to beetles, and short- 

 tongued flies, through those which are adapted to 

 certain flies (Rhingia) and Bees ; to the species of 

 Diantkus, Saponaria, and Lychnis Githago, the honey 

 of which is accessible to Lepidoptera only. 



HYPERICACEiE. 



There is only one British genus of this order, the 

 well-known Hypericum, which, however, contains 

 eleven British species. The stamens are united into 

 bundles ; the styles are generally three in number, 

 alternating with the bundles of stamens. In the 

 large-flowered Hypericum, however (H. calycinum), 

 the styles are five in number, and are raised above 



