48 MYSTERIES OF THE FLOWERS 



Horse-chestnut — Msculus hippocastanum 



The handsome spires of horse-chestnut bloom 

 are found to consist of orchid-Hke blossoms, fluted 

 and showily marked with colour, pink on some and 

 yellow on a neighboiu', their stamens and pistils 

 curving forward and upward, with the latter well 

 in advance. But all are not perfect flowers : at least 

 two-thirds on each spire bear pollen yet have sterile 

 pistils. 



Shinleaf- 



-Pyrola elliptica 

 July 



The shinleaf has similar habits, save that it turns 

 its face down toward the ground and, therefore, 

 protrudes its long, curving pistil for a landing- 

 stage. Here insects may alight and, first touching 

 the stigma, climb up into the corolla for nectar and 



more pollen. Roofed by the 

 overhanging petals are ten pol- 

 len-bags, packed closely together 

 and ready, at a touch, to dis- 

 charge their contents upon the 

 visitor who ventures to climb up 

 into the flower. The great abun- 

 dance of these flowers and their 

 sweet fragrance attract success- 

 PYROLA fully the bee-like flies {Syrphidce) 



