PERFECT FLOWERS 



67 



excellent example of this phase of cross-fertilisa- 

 tion is the wild geranium — excellent because it is 

 very common and because its 

 organs are so conspicuous as to 

 be easily observed. On one flower 

 whose stigma is yet closed we dis- 

 cover anthers in their prime, scat- 

 tering pollen in copious store 

 upon the honey-bees or those of 

 the genus Halictus, or the syr- 

 phid flies which frequent 

 it. On another flower we 

 find that the pollen is all 

 gone, the stamens are mere 

 bristles, the anthers having 

 withered and fallen off, 

 while the stigma has ex- 

 panded and is evidently 

 ready to receive pollen. 



Fire-weed; Great Willow-herb 

 Epiloh'mm angustifolium 



Another equally typical flower is the 

 fireweed, whose showy spikes of ma- f^^^-^^e^^ 

 genta pink flowers make gay the newlj'- cleared 

 grounds, especially the burned places, in July and 



