FLORAL MECHANISMS 



shaped like a mutton-chop, and so 

 minute that it can scarcely be dis- 

 covered without a magnifying 

 glass. One chop grows in each 

 anther, and is connected with an- 

 other chop by what seems to be a 

 little steel bow, bearing in its cen- 

 tre a minute spring catch, destined 

 to make itself fast to the leg of an 

 unwary bee or butterfly. 



The pollen masses lie on either 

 side of the stigmatic orifice, but 

 hidden from view by the anthers 

 — all save their little spring catch, 

 which is visible in the first sketch 

 as a bright black dot at the bot- 

 tom of the pocket-slit of pollen- 

 chamber. 



Now, the principal organs of 

 the flower are in place, yet it needs 

 the nectar-horns to offer their at- 

 tractions of sweets and perfumes 

 for the insects. There are five of 

 these horns springing from below 

 the calyx and curving downward 

 and under the lower end of the 

 colunm, the spaces between them 



123 



MILKWEED 



