v.] GENTIANACE^;. 135 



Polygala. The anthers and the stigma, which is 

 immediately below them, together nearly close up 

 the tube of the flower. The upper portion of the 

 pistil is clothed with hairs which arrange themselves 

 so as to form a sort of pocket or chamber opposite 

 each anther, and when the pollen is shed it is received 

 into this pocket or chamber. The stigma somewhat 

 resembles an inverted saucer, attached by the middle 

 to the style. The upper portion of the stigma is 

 viscid and rubs against the proboscis of the insect as 

 it is withdrawn. The proboscis, thus rendered adhesive, 

 carries off some of the pollen. When the insect visits 

 the next flower, the pollen is scraped off the proboscis 

 by the sharp edge of the saucer, and is thus accu- 

 mulated in the hollow of the saucer, which is the 

 true stigmatic surface. 



GENTIANACEiE. 



In this order we have six British genera : Cicendia, 

 Erythraea, Gentiana, Chlora, Menyanthes, and Lim- 

 nanthemum. 



Gentiana Pneumonanthe is proterandrous. It 

 secretes honey at the base of a tube 25 30 mm. long ; 

 Bees, however, can creep half way down, in doing 

 which they come in contact with the anthers in 

 younger flowers, and in older ones with the stigma, 

 which lies somewhat higher in the tube. The power 

 of self-fertilisation appears to be lost. Gentiana ama- 

 rella, on the contrary, is homogamous, the anthers and 

 stigma coming to maturity together, though as the 

 style of pistil is somewhat longer than the stamens, an 

 insect touches the stigma before reaching the anthers. 



The beautiful Erythraa centaurium is frequently 



